Hello, Chef Eric here! Today, I’m going to show you how we can make a bacon spread: Whiskey Bacon Chutney!

This sweet and spicy Chutney can bring an exciting, twist to burgers, sandwiches, and virtually anything you’re adventurous enough to smear it on.

The balsamic vinegar gives it its dark color, and undertones of vanilla, while the whiskey and maple syrup brings a sweet and comforting richness.

Don’t feel bad if you find yourself sneaking off to the fridge with nothing but a spoon for just one more taste.

Ingredients for Bacon Spread

Thick Cut Smoked Bacon 10 strips
4 Shallots
1 White, or Yellow Onion
Red pepper Flakes 1 tsp.
Chili Powder 1 tsp.
Smoked Paprika 1 tsp.
Whiskey 150 ml
Maple Syrup 100 ml
Balsamic Vinegar 70 ml
Brown Sugar 1/3 cup

Makin’ That Bacon for Bacon Spread

Begin by laying your 10 strips of bacon on a sheet tray.

Place the tray into a cold oven, and set the temp to 350°F. Not preheating will give the bacon fat extra time to render and achieve a lovely crispness without any burnt flavor. This will take 20-30 minutes, so just remember to keep an eye on it.

Next, we need to give the onions, and shallots a medium chop. They don’t have to be perfect, as we’re going to cook them down to jelly.

Caramelization is Life

Put a large sauté pan over medium heat, and add a tbsp. of vegetable oil.

When the pan is hot, add in your onions and shallots.

Cook them until they are translucent while stirring frequently.

Drop the heat down to medium-low, and let the onions and shallots slowly break down.

You will see them begin to darken in color, and this is a sign that you need to keep going.

Stir occasionally, and if they begin to burn, or leave fond in the pan, add a splash of water!

This was right after the pan almost started to burn, I deglazed with a splash of water, and stirred thoroughly to release the fond from the pan.

Don’t Burn The Bacon!

By now your bacon should be almost ready.

When it is, drain the fat, and let it cool enough that you can handle it, then give it a rough chop. You want the pieces to be a bit bigger than bacon bits so they don’t get lost in the chutney.

Now, let’s go back to the onions and shallots. Once you see the onions start to get broken down, and jam-like, add all the liquid ingredients (whiskey, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar).

Bring this to a simmer, then add the chopped bacon, and brown sugar.

Let the bacon spread simmer over low heat until the liquids reduce and begin to turn into a thick syrup.

You will know it’s ready when you can drag a spurtle across the bottom of the pan and a stripe of the exposed pan remains.

Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.

This will keep for 2-3 weeks in the fridge, so stock up.

I tried mine out on some toasted Cuban bread, but you can bet, I’ll be making burgers tomorrow night, and this chutney, is going to be the star of the show!

Seriously, this bacon spread is the best thing I’ve tasted in weeks. I hope you give it a try.

If you’d like an insider look at the creation of this recipe and others like it, I perform cooking streams live on Twitch every Sunday. If you have questions or want to see me in action, I would love to see you there.

Thank you for cooking with us!

– Chef Eric