Meet Brian Gerwig of @g_bque, a passionate home cook/backyard bbq’er with a love of all things cooking. Brian has always enjoyed cooking, but it was the start of his page in 2020 that really awakened his passion.
Bacon Jam Smoked Cream Cheese is the ultimate Game Day appetizer — sweet, savory and perfectly spreadable. A sticky maple bacon jam layered over smoked cream cheese for a dip that disappears fast. Grab a cold drink from the Titan Cooler and dig in while the game is on.
Total Time: 1:30 minutes Yields: 6-8 servings
Ingredients
BACON JAM
- 1/2 lb bacon, diced
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 2–3 cloves garlic, minced (or garlic rub)
- 1 tbsp hot sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
SMOKED CREAM CHEESE
- 1 block cream cheese
- Favorite BBQ rub
FOR SERVING
- Crackers, toasted baguette slices, or chips
Instructions
Cooking:
- Load your Titan 48 can Zipperless Cooler with your favorite drinks and ice. No Game Day is complete without cold drinks.
- In a skillet over medium heat, sauté the diced bacon until crispy.
- Remove the bacon and set aside, leaving a small amount of bacon grease in the pan.
- Add the diced onion and cooking until soft then stir in garlic, hot sauce, brown sugar, maple syrup, and apple cider vinegar.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring often, until thickened. Stir the bacon back in and let the jam cool — it will thicken further as it rests.
- Preheat smoker to 250°F.
- Score the top of a cream cheese block in a crisscross pattern and season generously with your favorite BBQ rub.
- Smoke for 1 hour until warm, slightly golden, and soft in the center.
- Remove from the smoker, top with bacon jam, and serve immediately with your favorite dippers.
- Grab a drink, kick back, and enjoy Game Day.
PRO TIP: Make the bacon jam ahead of time — it keeps for up to a week in the fridge and gets even better as the flavors meld.
