Place bacon into a large dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Cook the bacon, stirring frequently, until the fat has rendered out and the bacon is lightly browned, but not crispy, about 30 minutes.
Remove the bacon and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. Then drain all but two to three tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan.
Add the onions to the rendered bacon fat over medium heat. Allow the onions to cook down, stirring often and scraping all the browned bits of bacon from the bottom of the pan—those are all flavor—for about 20 minutes. At this point the caramelized onions will be a deep brown color.
Add the garlic to the cooked onions, stir together, and continue cooking for an additional three minutes.
Add the brown sugar and maple syrup, stirring together until the brown sugar has dissolved.
Increase heat to medium high and add the remaining ingredients, along with the cooked bacon. Continue to stir until they are well combined. Allow the jam to cook down for five to seven minutes until the jam is a thick, sticky consistency.
Remove the jam from the heat and allow it to cool slightly, about five minutes. Then place the jam in a food processor. Pulse several times until the jam is a chunky consistency but easily spreadable.
Serve immediately while warm, or store in a glass jar in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
Notes
I know two things for certain. Most things are better with bacon, and all things are better with bourbon. So, combine the two in this maple bourbon bacon jam recipe and it’s a winner-winner.