By Jennifer Olvera From Serious Eats

Tangy and Sweet Tomato-Bacon Jam With Onions and Garlic

Step aside, ketchup: this tomato-bacon jam is a versatile, flavor-packed condiment. [Photograph: Jennifer Olvera]

We are officially in peak tomato season, and my god, it is a glorious, glorious thing. Still, there’s something sad about waiting all year for these few months to roll around, and then not be able to eat every single perfect tomato in sight. (Trust me, I’ve tried: One person can not eat even so much as a bushel of tomatoes per day.) Which means that, while we gobble up every raw tomato possible, we should also try to find as many interesting ways to use them as we can, and then preserve what’s leftover. To that end, we’re running Tomato Bounty Week all week, during which we’ll share some fun tomato recipes that go beyond the usual gazpachos and caprese salads that are the most common fallbacks.

First up, this awesome tomato-bacon jam. Classic fruit jams are of course wonderful, but I have a thing for more vegetable-oriented jams intended for savory applications. This killer tangy and sweet condiment in particular goes well on just about anything. Packed with tomatoes, bacon, and onion, it’s perfect for topping burgers and sandwiches, or served alongside just about anything, from grilled chicken to a wedge of Brie.

Best of all, it’s a cinch to make. First, bacon is cooked until browned and its fat has rendered. Then, onions and garlic are sautéed in that rendered fat. After that, juicy, just-picked tomatoes are added, along with maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, and simmered until thick and spreadable. After a quick pulse in the blender—just enough to leave it a little chunky—it’s good to go.

This savory jam is loaded with onions and tomatoes that have been cooked in bacon fat until thick and spreadable. A touch of maple syrup, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, and Dijon mustard gives it a sweet-tart edge that would be as good on a burger as it would served alongside a wedge of cheese.

About This Recipe

YIELD:

Serves 8

ACTIVE TIME:

15 minutes

TOTAL TIME:

1 hour 15 minutes

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

Blender

THIS RECIPE APPEARS IN:

Tomato Bounty Week: This Tomato-Bacon Jam is Delicious on Everything

Ingredients

1/2 pound thick-cut bacon, chopped

1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

2 medium cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 cup fresh ripe diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 bay leaf

Procedures

1. Cook bacon in a medium Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring, until translucent and softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess bacon grease from pan.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients and reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced and thickened to a jam-like consistency, about 1 hour. Discard bay leaf.

3. Transfer to a blender and pulse to combine, leaving some chunks. Use immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

For more on this story go to: http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/08/tomato-bacon-jam-condiment.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+seriouseatsfeaturesvideos+%28Serious+Eats%29&utm_content=Google+Feedfetcher