Even before the last of those lovely bacon jam-filled pretzel rolls disappeared, I’d already staked out the idea of combining the bacon jam with cranberries for a spread-on-anything and stuff-in-everthang twist on cranberry sauce.

The original attempt of turning bacon jam into cranberry-bacon jam failed. Well, as much as something called “bacon jam” could fail. While tasty – and then, of course, still completely devoured – there was simply just too much bacon. A feat that I didn’t even know was possible before!

So I turned cranberry chutney into bacon-cranberry chutney instead. Plenty of tart cranberries and just enough bacon to turn the sweet and savory and smokey chutney into a “just one more spoonful won’t hurt” spread.

I put it over baked brie. And on burgers. And sliders.

And then I made a second batch and did it all over again, making The Cranwich for lunch 3 days in a row.

Festive and delicious with layers of flavor. And just enough bacon.

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Bacon & Cranberry Chutney

Homemade cranberry chutney flavored with smokey bacon.

Ingredients

• 3 slices of bacon, diced
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp bourbon
• Juice of 1 orange
• 1 tsp worcestershire
• 1/4 cup brown sugar (more if desired)
• 12 oz bag of cranberries
• 1 cup water
• Generous pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Cook the bacon in a medium sauce pan until mostly crisped and then remove with a slotted spoon to a small saucer.
2. Add the onion to the pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the garlic and stir, cooking another minute.
4. Return the bacon to the ban along with the remaining ingredients.
5. Bring to a slow boil over medium heat and then cover, cooking for ~10 minutes until the cranberries have softened.
6. Remove the lid and let simmer until nearly all of the liquid has cooked away, about another 10-15 minutes.
7. Taste for sweetness and add another tablespoon or two of sugar, if you think it needs it.
8. Transfer to a food processor or blender and pulse a few times.
9. Transfer to a jar or bowl and keep in the refrigerator where it will last a good 2 weeks. Probably.

Notes

Yields: ~2 cups

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

Estimated time: 40 minutes