Slow Cooker Bacon Jam

When I browsed through my latest copy of Everyday Food, I immediately noticed the recipe for Slow Cooker Bacon Jam. Bacon tends to get my attention and the very idea of making a jam with its tasty goodness as the main ingredient sounded intriguing, so I tore out the page with the recipe and stuck it in my stash.

This "to-be-tried" recipe stash is my source of inspiration when I'm heading off to the grocery store and every time I came across this clipping for Bacon Jam, it called out to me. But Bacon Jam, really? I couldn't decide if it sounded wonderful or positively dreadful. Eventually, I succumbed and let me tell you, it's amazing stuff.

Initially, we tried it plain on toasted bread with a glass of red wine. Mmmm. Then we spread a little on a hamburger. Oh boy! And just the other night we had it on a ham, Swiss cheese, and pear panini. Whoa!

This has been a great time of the year to make it, too. Share the wealth. I brought a jar to a party last weekend, and it was fun to see people's reaction when they tried it and then heard what it was.

Just as an FYI...as much as I love bacon, I hate the way the house can smell of bacon long after the bacon is gone, so I was concerned about having this stuff stewing away in an uncovered crock pot for several hours--one of the reasons I was on the fence about making it in the first place. I browned the bacon with the exhaust fan from the stove running, as usual, and found the aroma from cooking the jam afterward to be pleasant. No worries.