Two Words for You...Bacon Jam

That's right...Jam.  Made with Bacon.  Take in the awesomeness.

Before I share this recipe for what could be the greatest invention in the history of America, let me just say that I KNOW this is a horrendous photo.  I KNOW I need an iphone that has a decent camera, and I KNOW that a real blogger would have spent 20 minutes getting the lighting just right and taking 700 photos just to get the perfect image and then editing the photo to make it look mouthwatering and fantastical.  Me? I just wanted to get the dang thing in my mouth.

I came across the original recipe in our local paper - and it is attributed to Chef Aaron Cozadd, Union Workshop.  Chef Aaron...wherever you are...the Kingstons love you.  Both Kingstons.  We might want to marry you.  I tweaked the recipe a little bit to accomodate what we had at the house, so I share those revisions here with you.  Enjoy - then take a nap - because you will be too full to do anything else.

3AM DOG WITH BACON JAM
*I altered the recipe to make enough for four hot dogs.  You are not going to eat just one - trust me.  I don't even really LIKE hot dogs all that much and I ate two - and would have eaten three if we hadn't run out of eggs.*

4 hot dogs
4 hot dog buns
whole grain mustard
1 c. hash browns - fried crispy
bacon jam
2 fried eggs

BACON JAM
1 lb (a pkg) bacon - diced small
1 onion peeled and diced
2 tbsp miced garlic
1/2c cider vinegar (or slightly less than 1/2 c red wine vinegar, add water to make 1/2c)
1/2c packed brown sugar
1/4c syrup (we used Mrs. Butterworth)
3/4c dark coffee
1/4tsp black pepper

In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium high heat, stirring frequently until bacon starts to become crispy. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate. Drain all but 2 tbsp of the bacon fat. 

(while this is happening you can cook your hashbrowns - we used frozen hashbrowns and 1 Tbsp of oil - heat oil in the pan then add hashbrowns - flattening in to a single layer.  Cover and cook approx 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through.  Set aside.)

Place the skillet back on the stove (with the bacon fat in it) and add onion and garlic.  Cook over medium until the onion is translucent.  Add the remaining ingredients. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently, then boil hard for two minutes.  Stir in the bacon and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and the liquid is syrupy (add water if it seems to be drying out). Let stand for 5 minutes.

(while this is happening you can cook your hotdogs - either on the grill or in a pan on the stove.  We split ours down the middle so it would be easier to "load" them with toppings. You can also warm up your buns - wrap each bun in a damp paper towel and microwave them together for 30 seconds.)

Transfer mixture to a food processor (we used a blender) and pulse until bacon jam is a spreadable consistency.

To assemble the awesomeness:

Place the hot dog bun on the plate.  Smear one side of the bun with mustard and the other side with bacon jam. Add hot dog. Top with 1/4 of the hashbrowns and 1/2 of a fried egg.

Stuff your face and enjoy! Then spend the rest of the day making a list of what else you can put bacon jam on - because you will have LOTS left over.