My dad totally came up with the title to this recipe, isn’t it awesome? Fig Pig Jam. Rhyming is cool, kids!
Bacon jam was all the rage (do people even still use that phrase?) a few years ago, but is still pretty popular at foodie parties. Even though I always thought it was a cool idea, I never actually made it before now. After flipping through a few different recipes online, I got discouraged – none of them excited me. Each recipe was basically the same thing; bacon simmered in coffee. Boring. So I decided to give it an update with figs and hints of cocoa!
Thick sliced bacon gets crispy on the stovetop before you add in onions, garlic, diced figs, and a packet of hot chocolate. Yes, you heard me correctly – a hot chocolate packet. We all have them in our pantries, so it’s about time to use those babies for something other than beverages! The hot chocolate mix gives the perfect amount of sweetness while also deepening the flavors of the bacon and figs due to the cocoa. My mom wanted me to tell all of you that “the flavors are blended together so perfectly”…so yeah…the flavors blend beautifully while still maintaining subtle individual profiles. The result is a sticky, smoky, sassy spread that livens up any plain ole cracker, pretzel, or bread. Enjoy!
½ lb bacon (I used 6 slices of thick cut bacon)
1 onion
2 garlic cloves
10 dried figs
1 packet of hot chocolate mix
1 cup water
¼ cup vinegar
Salt and pepper (optional)
Roughly chop the bacon into bite sized pieces. In a large pot over medium heat, add the sliced bacon and cook until crisp – about 5-7 minutes (I speed this up by covering the pot).
While the bacon cooks, quarter and slice the onion. Mince the garlic. Stir in the garlic and onion to the pot, cover, and cook for 5-7 minutes. You want the onion to be tender.
Dice the dried figs and add to the pot. Stir to combine.
Pour in the hot chocolate mix, water, and vinegar. Stir to deglaze the pan. Lower heat to the lowest setting, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
Using an immersion blender or food processor, blend everything in the pot until you get your desired consistency for the “jam”.
Cool, serve, and enjoy!
