If You Don’t Make a Huge Batch of Gordon Ramsay’s Bacon Jam, You’re Doing It Wrong

A couple of weeks ago, Gordon Ramsay made the rounds on TikTok after announcing he was “going vegan … for lunch.” Well, he clearly wasn’t kidding about his stint with veganism being temporary, because now he’s touting a homemade bacon jam with a soft scrambled egg. And since his vegan food was delicious, I thought I’d give his latest carnivorous recipe a try too.

I’ve never made bacon jam before, and to my surprise it was quite simple. First, cut up a pound of bacon into small pieces and cook it in a large skillet until the bacon is crispy and the fat has rendered. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and pour off all the bacon grease except for a tablespoon. Then, caramelize yellow onions and shallots for about 25 minutes until they’re soft, dark, and jammy. 

From there, add the bacon back in along with maple syrup, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, coffee, and red chili flakes. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer until the mixture is thick and jam-like. To bring it all together, Gordon Ramsay serves it on a piece of pan-fried sourdough, topped with a pillowy-soft scrambled eggs and fresh chives.

This was very delicious. On our last go-around, I was a bit harsh on our pal Gordon, because while I felt that the food tasted great, it was too much work. While I wouldn’t call this bacon jam and soft scramble a “quick” recipe, I would definitely say it’s way more realistic and attainable for the average home cook. Sure, it takes roughly two hours to make the jam from start to finish, but most of this is inactive time. Plus, all the ingredients are easy to find.

Frankly, I was really into this jam, which means a lot coming from a person who normally wouldn’t seek out bacon jam. I was a little concerned the jam was going to be super sweet and rich from the brown sugar and maple syrup, but I found it to be balanced and tasty. I think it’s a great thing to make the day before having friends over for brunch — you can serve it as a fun toast topper and brag about how you made it from scratch. If you’re a person who wants bacon jam with your breakfast every day, I would highly recommend making a huge batch. It tasted like an artisanal jarred product that you could pay $15 for at bougie farmers market. 

1. Plan accordingly! This is not something you should decide you want to whip up on a busy weekday morning. Carve out some time on a lazy Sunday to saunter into the kitchen, get the bacon going, then caramelize some onions, and reduce the jam. You are signing up for two hours of (mostly inactive) time before you’re eating homemade bacon jam.
2. Follow Gordon’s serving suggestion. Fried bread is superior to any other breakfast vessel, soft scrambled eggs are pure opulence, and who can say no to a light sprinkling of fresh chives? If you wanted to get creative, you could also enjoy the jam on a burger, in a luxurious PB&J, in an omelet, or served on your next charcuterie board. I’m feeling grateful that Gordon Ramsay was kidding about going vegan, because frankly this bacon jam is some of his best work.