Homemade Bacon Jam -Step by Step

Well ,here we go folks.
Vegetarians beware,we're cooking with bacon today.
Since every other food blogger in town is doin' the whole "STEP-BY-STEP" thang I figgered I best get with it and start doin' it myself.
Still working out the kinks of how to do this most efficiently but I think I have a working method. Any one of my three followers with suggestions on how to do this better,speak to me.
As I mentioned before the subject is BACON JAM !
I posted this on Facebook earlier this week and everyone went bonkers over it !

let's start with the meat in question.
this is a pound and a half of niman ranch applewood smoked bacon.
thee best natural farm raised pork on the market.

The other players:
Vidalia onion,garlic,shallot,allspice berries,brown sugar,coffee,pure Vermont maple syrup(grade B is best for cooking),chili powder and apple cider vinegar(not pictured).

 Cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces.

 Into a large Dutch oven over medium heat goes the bacon.

 Slowly rendered to crisp golden beauty and strained with a slotted spoon.

 Onto a paper towel lined plate to drain.

 Just had to stop for a minute to admire the quality of this bacon. Mmmmmmmmmmm.......Bacon.
Apologies to my vegetarian friends,but if you've gotten this far,well???

 Thinly slice the Vidalia.

 Same goes for the shallot.

 Rough chop the garlic,about 5 large cloves will do.

 Toss the onions in the Dutch oven with about 1/4 cup of the rendered bacon fat.

 After 10 minutes on medium heat add the shallot and garlic and cook another minute just to release the aroma of the garlic.Add the chili powder,allspice and cinnamon and cook 30 seconds to bloom the spices in the oil.

 Add the cooked bacon back to the pot.

 Add 1 cup of strong coffee,I generally use cold brewed as it has a less bitter edge.

 In goes 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar...

 1/2 cup water...

 3 tablespoons brown sugar...

 1/2 cup  pure Vermont maple syrup...the aromas are really building now...

 Giving it some sun before I go on just to see how it all looks.

 Now the slow reduction process begins on low heat.

 An occasional stir to prevent scorching the bottom of the pot. It's been about an hour and 15 and I think we're close to the jam like stage. The smells are astonishing ! One of my neighbors just knocked on my door to see what's cookin'. She like.

 Well,here we are. Dark mahogany bacony syrupy goodness !

 Damn it looks good...I LIKE !

 Transfer to a food processor fitted with a steel blade and we're ready to rock and roll.

 Just a few seconds is all it takes. I'm not sure what the consistancy is supposed to be like having never seen this product before.

 My gosh, It looks like pot resin ! ...from what i've heard...that's it...i'll stick with that.

 And here my friends is the finished product.

 It's really,really good. I may leave it a little more chunky next time out. It's thick and decadent. I think I'll bag it in a ziplock and save it for our trip to Provincetown so that maybe a few of you can enjoy it if you happen to be in town.

Here's the stash. i think i cooked it down real nice.
thanks for coming.

Homemade Bacon Jam

ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds good quality applewood smoked bacon,cut into 1 inch pieces
2 large Vidalia Onions,peeled,halved and thinly sliced from pole to pole (yellow may also be used)
2 large shallots,peeled and thinly sliced
5 cloves garlic,roughly chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder(I like Ancho Chili Powder)
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup strong brewed coffee
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup pure maple syrup

instructions:
Put bacon into a large dutch oven over medium low heat and render until golden and crisp.
Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.
Remove all but 1/4 cup bacon fat from dutch oven and return to medium heat.
Add onions to bacon fat and cook until translucent and beginning to caramelize on edges,about 10 minutes.Reduce heat if onions brown too quickly.Add shallots and garlic and cook about 1 minute to release aromas.Add chili powder,allspice and cinnamon and allow to bloom in oil and onions,about 30 seconds.Return the bacon to the pot and add coffee,cider vinegar,water,brown sugar and maple syrup.Bring to a simmer,reduce heat to low and cook,stirring occasionally to prevent scorching for 1 to 1 1/4 hours until most of liquid has evaporated and mixture is well thickened.Transfer to a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse to desired consistancy.I like mine a little grainy with a few visible pieces of bacon and onion,or even chunkier.
Bacon Jam can be kept in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator for 1 week,or placed in a ziplock bag and frozen for 1 month.

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