Bacon Jam Grilled Cheese (Print)

Golden buttery bread layered with sharp cheeses and smoky-sweet bacon jam for a rich melt.

# Ingredients:

→ Bacon Jam

01 - 8 oz thick-cut bacon, chopped
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
03 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
04 - 2 tbsp brown sugar
05 - 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
06 - 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
07 - 1 tbsp maple syrup
08 - ½ tsp smoked paprika
09 - ¼ tsp black pepper

→ Grilled Cheese

10 - 8 slices sourdough or country bread
11 - 8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
12 - 4 oz Gruyère cheese, sliced
13 - 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened

# Instructions:

01 - In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in the pan.
02 - Add diced onion to the skillet and cook until caramelized, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
03 - Return cooked bacon to the pan. Add brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, smoked paprika, and black pepper. Simmer on low heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and becomes jam-like, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
04 - Arrange bread slices on a work surface. Spread a generous layer of bacon jam over four slices. Layer cheddar and Gruyère cheeses atop the jam, then cover with the remaining bread slices.
05 - Spread softened butter evenly over the outside surfaces of each sandwich.
06 - Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Cook sandwiches 3 to 4 minutes per side until the bread is golden brown and the cheese has melted.
07 - Allow sandwiches to rest for 1 to 2 minutes before slicing and serving.

# Pro Tips:

01 -
  • The bacon jam is addictive enough to spoon straight from the pan, but somehow tastes even better layered with melty cheese and golden bread.
  • It feels like a restaurant-quality sandwich you're sneaking out of the kitchen, but it takes less than an hour from start to finish.
  • You'll find yourself making extra bacon jam just to have it on hand for everything—eggs, burgers, roasted vegetables, you name it.
02 -
  • The bacon jam will thicken significantly as it cools, so if you think it's done cooking, it's probably not thick enough yet—wait for that moment when it clings together like actual jam before you pull it off heat.
  • Room-temperature or softened butter spreads evenly on cold bread without tearing it, but cold butter straight from the fridge will always tear and leave bare spots that burn while other parts stay pale.
  • Medium-low heat is non-negotiable—medium will brown your bread too fast and leave the cheese unmelted in the middle, a mistake I've made more than once and regretted every time.
03 -
  • The bacon jam is better when the onions are truly caramelized—resist the urge to rush this step, because those 8-10 minutes of patient stirring are when the real magic happens.
  • Keep your skillet nonstick and at medium-low throughout cooking; this prevents the bottom from burning while giving the cheese enough time to melt into a cohesive layer.
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