This Hot Honey Bacon Jam Salmon marries the rich, smoky flavor of bacon with the sweet heat of honey and chilies, all layered atop perfectly cooked salmon. This dish has its roots in American fusion cuisine, where chefs began combining the umami-rich bacon jam tradition with seafood. The combination of sweet, spicy, smoky, and savory creates a memorable meal that’s impressive enough for special occasions yet simple enough for a weeknight dinner when you want something extraordinary.
Hot Honey Bacon Jam Salmon
4
servings15
minutes45
minutes523
kcal1
hourKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
- For the Bacon Jam:
340 g 12 oz thick-cut bacon, chopped into small pieces
2 2 yellow onions
4 4 garlic cloves
80 ml 1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
60 ml 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
30 ml 2 tbsp hot honey
2 tablespoons 2 tbsp hot sauce
1 teaspoon 1 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 tsp black pepper
- For the Salmon:
4 4 salmon fillets
1 tablespoon 1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 teaspoon 1/2 tsp black pepper
Additional hot honey for drizzling
Equipment
Large skillet- wooden spoon
- Baking sheet
- aluminium foil
- paper towels
Directions
- For the Bacon Jam:
- Cook chopped bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until it begins to crisp but isn’t completely rendered, about 8-10 minutes.
- Remove half the bacon fat, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the pan.
- Add the diced onions to the bacon and cook until they begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in the apple cider vinegar and use your wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Add the maple syrup, hot honey, smoked paprika, and black pepper, stirring to combine.
- Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened and taken on a jam-like consistency.
- Remove from heat and let cool slightly while preparing the salmon.
- For the Salmon:
- Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F).
- Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly oil it.
- Pat salmon fillets dry with paper towels and place them skin-side down on the prepared baking sheet.
- Brush salmon with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes for medium doneness, or until the salmon flakes easily with a fork.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 2 minutes.
- To Serve:
- Spoon a generous amount of hot bacon jam over each salmon fillet.
- Drizzle each portion with additional hot honey.
Notes
- For the best texture, choose thick-cut bacon for the jam. Thin bacon will become too crispy and won’t incorporate well into the jam.
