3 cloves garlic
1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
3/4 cup brown sugar
3 Tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar
1 ¼ cups any dark/malty ale
1/2 teaspoons salt
Chop the bacon into small pieces.Heat a large skillet over a medium heat and add the bacon. Fry until the bacon is crispy (if your bacon doesn’t contain much fat, you may need to add 1-2 tablespoons vegetable oil). Remove the bacon from the pan. Discard most of the bacon fat, leaving one tablespoon in the pan.Peel and chop the onions, then add to the pan with the garlic, pepper and paprika. Cook on medium heat for about ten minutes, until the onions are very soft.Add the sugar and stir, then add the vinegar, beer and salt. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for ten minutes. Add the bacon back in and continue to cook for a further 10-15 minutes, until thickened. Check the seasoning and add a little more salt and pepper if required.Serve warm or allow to cool, then store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week. Bring up to room temperature before serving.