Tomato Bacon Jam

Featured in The Applegatarian

"I had something like this on a charcuterie board at a restaurant called Link & Pin in Charlotte, N.C., and I immediately went home and tried to figure out how to make it. It's delicious on toast and with fruit and cheese. This one is a labor of love, so be patient and let it cook slowly." 
Adria Adams, Applegate Raw Meat Quality Assurance Manager

Ingredients

  • 1 pound APPLEGATE SUNDAY BACON® bacon
  • 2½ cups diced yellow onion
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
  • 2 pounds ripe tomatoes, diced 
  • 1/, cup packed light brown sugar 
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon dry mustard 
  • Pinch of cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Chop the bacon into ¼-inch pieces. Cook the bacon in a Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. When the bacon is cool, chop or crumble it into smaller pieces; set aside. Remove all but 2 tablespoons bacon grease from the skillet.
  2. Add the onions and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 7-9 minutes. Add the tomatoes, crumbled bacon, and remaining ingredients to the skillet and bring to a boil over medium­ high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring every 10 minutes, until the mixture is thickened and jam-like, 45-60 minutes. (In the last 15 minutes of cooking, stir more frequently to keep the mixture from sticking and burning.) Remove from the heat and let cool.

Note: Jam keeps in the refrigerator up to 5 days.

Love your Leftovers

Have leftovers? Try this Peanut Butter and Tomato Bacon Jam Sandwich

Elvis Presley would have loved this sandwich-sweet, salty, bacony! Elvis Presley would have loved this sandwich-sweet, salty, bacony!

Ingredients

  • 2 slices sandwich bread
  • 1 tablespoon Tomato Bacon Jam, at room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter

Instructions

  1. Spread 1 piece of bread with the tomato bacon jam.
  2. Spread the other piece of bread with the peanut butter.
  3. Close the sandwich and cut in half. Eat at once.