Jazz up your Memorial Day burgers with this recipe for Bacon Bourbon Jam, shared by our friends at Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar — it’s also great on toast, eggs, potatoes … and a spoon!

Bacon Bourbon Jam

3 pounds Heritage Farms bacon

5 sweet yellow onions, diced

8 garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup brewed coffee

1 cup maple syrup

1 cup bourbon

1 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup balsamic vinegar

Cook the bacon over medium heat until it browns, leaving room for it to crisp properly. For this recipe you want the bacon to get as crispy as possible without burning. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess fat.

Leave 2 to 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the pan. Add the onions and cook over medium heat until they start to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 more minute.

Add the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, bourbon and coffee mixture to the pan, deglazing it. Return the bacon to the pan and lower the heat, allowing to mixture to simmer until thick and gooey.

Transfer to a food processor and pulse to desired texture. Bad Daddy’s serves it chunky.  

In honor of National Hamburger Month, Bad Daddy’s is offering a special feature burger spotlighting regional ingredients: It's the Mills Family Farm (Mooresville) beef burger with Ashe County habanero cheddar, Heritage Farms (Seven Springs) Bacon Bourbon Jam and arugula on a brioche roll from Night Kitchen Bakehouse and Café (Raleigh). baddaddysburgerbar.com