- 4 ounces bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 bulb fennel, chopped
- 1 sweet potato, cut into small cubes
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
- 1/4 cup whiskey (such as Jack Daniel's®)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet with slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towel, retaining drippings in the skillet.
- Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir onion and fennel in hot bacon drippings until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Add sweet potato, place a cover on the skillet, and cook until sweet potato is tender and slightly browned, about 10 minutes.
- Increase heat to medium-high. Pour whiskey into the skillet and bring to a boil while scraping the browned bits of food off of the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir bacon in the vegetable mixture. Add brown sugar and stir to incorporate. Reduce heat to medium; cook and stir until the whiskey has been absorbed and the liquid is caramel-colored, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.