Sweet, salty, smoky, and tangy — this Peach Bacon Jam is the condiment your summer menu has been missing. Applewood-smoked bacon simmers low and slow with ripe peaches, grainy mustard, brown sugar, and a splash of bourbon until rich, glossy, and ready to slather on everything from burgers to crostini and more.
Before You Start Cooking
- Use thick-cut bacon. Thin-sliced bacon breaks down too much during the simmer and won’t give you those distinct, chewy bites of bacon in the finished jam.
- Use ripe peaches. Look for fruit that gives slightly to pressure and smells fragrant at the stem. Underripe peaches won’t release enough juice or sweetness to balance the bacon and vinegar. This is a great recipe to use slightly bruised or imperfect summer peaches you might have on hand.
- Adjust the texture. This jam is naturally chunky, with visible bits of bacon and peach throughout — that’s how I prefer to serve it. If you’d rather have a more finely textured, spreadable jam, plan to pulse it a few times in a food processor once it’s cooled to room temperature.
How to Make Peach Bacon Jam
Step 1: Crisp the Bacon
Cut the bacon into ½-inch pieces and cook it in a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I like my enameled cast iron Dutch oven for this) over medium-high heat until crisp. It’ll take about 8 to 10 minutes, depending on your pot and stove.
I prefer applewood smoked bacon here — it has a milder, slightly fruity flavor that lets the peaches come through rather than overpowering them. If you’d like a stronger smoky flavor, hickory-smoked bacon works well too.
Once the bacon is crisp, use a slotted spoon to carefully transfer it to a paper-towel-lined plate, leaving the drippings behind in the pot. Then carefully pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease from the pot, which you’ll use to cook the onions.
Don’t skip draining the excess fat — leaving more than that behind will give the finished jam a greasy feel.
Tip: Don’t toss those extra bacon drippings. Strain them while they’re still warm and fluid into a container, then refrigerate for use in other recipes. I sometimes use it in place of the final tablespoon of melted butter in my Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread.
Step 2: Build the Jam Base
Add chopped yellow onions to the pot and cook them over medium heat until they’re soft. Then, add the cooked bacon back into the pot along with:
- Peaches. Peeled and cut into about a ½-inch dice.
- Dark brown sugar. Adjust the amount depending on how sweet your peaches are — if they’re not quite at peak season, add a touch extra.
- Grainy mustard. I like Maille Old Style, made with whole mustard seeds, for tang, depth, and a bit of texture.
- Worcestershire sauce. Adds depth and balances the bacon’s richness.
- Apple cider vinegar. Brings brightness, a touch of sweetness, and acidity.
- Bourbon. Optional, but highly recommended — it adds a hint of oak and vanilla that pairs nicely with the smoky bacon.
- Freshly-ground pepper. For a hint of heat.
Step 3: Simmer the Jam
Stir everything together until well combined, then bring the mixture to a boil. Once it’s bubbling, reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 to 35 minutes. Stir the jam occasionally so it cooks evenly and doesn’t scorch on the bottom of the pot.
As the Peach Bacon Jam cooks, use the back of your spoon to break down the peaches slightly — you’re aiming for a jammy consistency with visible bits of fruit and bacon throughout.
The jam is ready when it looks thickened and glossy and has developed a rich brown color. The exact cooking time will largely depend on the peaches you use. If your peaches are very juicy, you might need to spend a few extra minutes at the stove.
Once the jam has cooked down, remove it from the heat and let it cool to room temperature before transferring it to the refrigerator — for food safety, don’t let it sit out longer than 1 to 2 hours. It will continue to thicken a bit as it cools completely.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Bacon Peach Jam is a great make-ahead recipe for entertaining. Once it’s cooled to room temperature after simmering, spoon it into an airtight container, such as a mason jar or jam jar, and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
This is a refrigerator jam and is not suitable for canning. For longer storage, freeze it in a freezer-safe container, leaving at least ½ inch of headspace to allow for expansion. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Serving Peach Bacon Jam
Because the bacon fat solidifies when this Peach Bacon Jam is chilled, it’s best served warm or closer to room temperature. To take the chill off before serving, either warm it for a couple of minutes on the stove or use short bursts in the microwave until it turns glossy again and the texture loosens up a bit.
A few of my favorite ways to serve it are:
- Crostini or baguette slices topped with crumbled buttermilk blue cheese or goat cheese — great for serving with summer cocktails.
- Grilled cheese. Spread a spoonful inside before grilling for a sweet-savory upgrade. In my house, it’s a favorite for these Grilled Swiss sandwiches with sliced peaches and baby arugula.
- Burger topping. This jam is the perfect upgrade for a juicy burger with sharp cheddar or Gouda.
- Cheese or charcuterie board. Set it out in a small bowl alongside crackers, nuts, and soft cheeses. (Don’t miss my tips for building the ultimate cheese board!)
- Baked into Brie en croute for an easy, impressive party appetizer.
More Peach Recipes
More Jams and Preserves
Peach Bacon Jam
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds thick-cut applewood smoked bacon , cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1½ cups chopped yellow onion (about 1 large onion)
- 3 cups peeled and diced ripe peaches , ½-inch dice (about 4 peaches, see Note 1)
- ¾ to 1 cup dark brown sugar (depending on how sweet your peaches are)
- ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard (I use Maille Old Style)
- 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons bourbon (optional, but recommended)
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large, heavy-bottomed pot (I use an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven), cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Carefully remove all but 2 tablespoons of bacon fat from the pot and discard it when cooled, or save it for another use (see Note 2).
- Add the chopped onion to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes.
- Return the bacon to the pot along with the peaches, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, bourbon (if using), and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and glossy, 30 to 35 minutes, using the back of a wooden spoon to break up the peaches as they cook.
- Remove the jam from the heat and cool to room temperature. Don't leave it out for more than 1 to 2 hours before refrigerating. (See Note 3 for an optional texture adjustment note.)
- Store, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week (see Note 4). The bacon fat will thicken and solidify when chilled. Before serving, gently warm the jam to take the chill off, until it's loosened and glossy. Peach Bacon Jam is best served a little warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Please note that our recipes have been developed using the US Customary measurement system and have not been tested for high altitude/elevation cooking and baking.
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Editor’s Note: This recipe was originally published on Striped Spatula in June, 2016. We have since updated the post with expanded notes to best serve our readers.
This is heavenly! I didn’t have the whole grain Dijon and used regular Dijon instead. I don’t know if it could have been better with whole grain, but I doubt it! We used it on grill cheese and got rave reviews!!
I made two different bacon jams tonight as I just wanted to try and see what results came from the different combinations… OMG!!! This was fantastic!!! I was really thinking to myself as I was adding mustard and peaches together, “I am wasting a lot of bacon!” But the end result is amazing! Almost has a barbecue flavor. My mind is going crazy as to ways this could be used and altered to make other sauces. Thank you for sharing!!
Excellent. I’ll be making this again. An added bonus… I filled up my bacon grease jar!
I made this today. I had beautiful Texas peaches that were very juicy. It took an hour for it to get to the right consistency, but it was worth it. We had it with burgers tonight and everyone gave it a thumbs up. Tomorrow we will try with goat cheese on a crostini. I can’t wait. The flavor is delicious! It makes a lot, so plan on sharing some with someone you like a lot. Thanks for the recipe.
Served this over pork tenderloin and it was delicious! I added a little balsamic vinegar but the recipe would be great with or without it. I halved the recipe and still had plenty!
This jam has my name written all over it! Great for crostini, but I want that sandwiched between melty monterey jack and a crusty bread. I’m tucking a napkin into my collar and going for that with both hands!
Would you say this is more sweet or savory?
Hi Kate, it’s both, really. There’s definitely prominent sweetness in the base from the peaches and brown sugar, but then it’s contrasted with the smoke of the bacon and tang of the vinegar and mustard.