I Tried a Bacon & Marmalade Sandwich… and It Scored a 9/10

I need to start with a confession.
I don’t like marmalade. Well, I didn’t think I did.
Too bitter. Too sharp. Too aggressively orange. If I’m building a proper breakfast, I’m reaching for brown sauce long before I’m going anywhere near a jar of citrus preserve.
And yet… here we are.

Because after a week of lively breakfast debates (which, let’s be honest, have properly divided the nation), I decided to try something controversial:
A bacon and marmalade toastie. And I was fully prepared to hate it.

The Concept: Sweet Meets Smoky
Smoky bacon.
Sticky marmalade.
Brought together inside hot, buttery toasted bread.

It sounds like something you’d make at 10pm when the cupboards are bare.
But then you think about it…

We glaze ham with honey.
We pair pork with apple sauce.
We drizzle maple syrup over bacon without hesitation.

So maybe citrus wasn’t the enemy after all.

The Cook-Up

If you’re going to test something like this, you have to do it properly.
The bacon needs crisp edges and proper smoky depth — no pale, floppy rashers allowed. The toast needs to be buttered generously.
A layer of marmalade went on one side. Not reckless. Just enough to bring the sweetness without turning it into pudding.
Then the bacon went in. And I braced myself.
I took a bite.
Fully prepared for disappointment. Instead?

It was incredible.

The toast added crunch.
The bacon brought salt and smoke.
The marmalade cut through with sweetness and just enough bitterness to balance it.

It wasn’t sugary. It wasn’t weird. It was sharp, savoury, rich and properly moreish.
I took another bite. And another.
Final verdict? 9/10.

And I don’t even eat marmalade.

Why It Actually Works

Bacon is rich and fatty. That richness needs contrast.

The citrus in marmalade brings acidity and slight bitterness, which stops the whole thing feeling heavy. Add toasted bread and suddenly you’ve got texture, crunch and warmth pulling it all together.

Breakfast Innovation or Breakfast Betrayal?
Sweet and smoky genius? Or breakfast betrayal?
Would you try a bacon and marmalade toastie?

And what controversial combo should we test next? 👀🥓🍊