Bacon Tomato Jam

Course: Appetizer, Sauces & Dips, Spreads

Cuisine: North American

Diet: Gluten Free

Prep Time: 45

Cook Time: 1 25

Cooling time: 2

Total Time: 4 10

Servings: servings (2 tbsp each)

Calories: 55kcal

Author: Dini Kodippili

This sweet and savory bacon tomato jam is one of my favorite condiments ever! Make it with any type of tomato, and even canned tomatoes in the offseason. Packed with sweet, savory, umami, smoky flavors, this jam is SO versatile!

EASY - Very easy recipe. It does take time to cook down the mixture to the correct consistency, but the process is simple.

Makes about 900 g of bacon tomato jam.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

910 g tomatoes 2 lbs. (see recipe notes for types of tomato)
455 g bacon slices 1 lb. (regular or thick slices)
170 g onion about 1 medium onion
200 g white sugar 1 cup
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp white vinegar
4 garlic cloves
½ tbsp dijon mustard
2 - 3 red chili pepper optional or adjust to your taste
Salt to taste

Optional ingredients

For thickening the jam (freezer-friendly options)

Instant clearjel about 1 - 2 tsp
Low sugar / no sugar pectin about 1 - 2 tsp

Instructions

Prepare the tomatoes

You can use any type of tomato you have at hand. Here, I’m using cherry tomatoes. See recipe notes below for more details on how the type of tomato will alter the taste and consistency of this jam.
If you prefer your tomato jam very smooth, then I recommend peeling the tomatoes before cooking them. You can either blanch the tomatoes to remove the skin, or freeze them first and then thaw out the tomatoes to make it easy to remove the skin.
For larger tomatoes, make sure to cut them into chunks before using. Cherry tomatoes can be used whole.

Prepare the remaining ingredients

Slice the bacon and set aside.
455 g bacon slices
Finely chop the onions and slice the chili peppers (if using). Mince or finely chop the garlic. Set aside.
170 g onion, 4 garlic cloves, 2 - 3 red chili pepper

Cook the bacon

Heat a large pan or pot over medium / medium high heat. When the pan is hot, place the sliced bacon and cook it, making sure to move the bacon around for even cooking.
455 g bacon slices
The bacon is cooked when there is some color to it on the edges. The bacon shouldn’t be completely crisp.
Once the bacon is cooked, transfer it to a sieve or paper towel to remove extra oil. Set aside some of the bacon fat to be used for the tomato jam (in the following step).

Tomato jam

In a large pot, place about 2 - 4 tbsp of the bacon fat. Heat over medium heat.
When the fat is heated, add the chopped onion and garlic. Saute until the onion is translucent. Remember not to cook over high heat, as the onion and garlic should not burn. Adjust the heat so that the onion and garlic soften evenly without burning.
170 g onion, 4 garlic cloves
Once the onion is translucent, add the tomatoes, mustard, sugar, a generous pinch of salt, chili, and vinegars. Mix well.
910 g tomatoes, 200 g white sugar, ¼ cup balsamic vinegar, 2 tbsp white vinegar, 2 - 3 red chili pepper, Salt , ½ tbsp dijon mustard
Cook over medium / medium high heat for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened, while frequently stirring.
Once the tomatoes have softened and have broken down a little, you have the option of blending the mixture if you like. This is an optional step, but can help make the skins of the tomatoes more smooth (i.e. if you didn't peel the skin at the beginning).
Use a stick blender to blend the tomato mixture to the consistency you like.
Add the cooked bacon to the mixture and stir it in.
Cook the tomato jam further over medium heat while stirring occasionally, for about 45 - 60 minutes, or until the jam thickens to a jam-like consistency.
When the jam has thickened, remember to taste and season with salt to your liking.
Salt
If the tomato jam has the right flavor profile, but isn’t thick enough, then you can thicken it with instant clearjel or no sugar / low sugar pectin (see recipe notes below).
Instant clearjel , Low sugar / no sugar pectin

To check if the bacon tomato jam is at the right consistency

Place small bowls or plates in the freezer before making the jam.
Add a small amount of the tomato jam on the frozen plates and stir to cool down quickly. The cooled down tomato jam will reflect the consistency of the jam once it's at room temperature.
If you’re happy with the consistency AND flavor, then remove the tomato jam from the heat.
Divide the jam between clean jars that have airtight lids. Loosely cover with the lids and let them cool down until they're just warm.

Storage

If you'll be freezing the tomato jam for later, then cover the jars with plastic wrap (instead of lids) and freeze until frozen solid. Once the jam is frozen, then place the lids on the jars. This will prevent the jars from expanding and cracking in the freezer. The jam will last at least 6 months in the freezer, but can easily last up to a year as well.
If the bacon tomato jam is going to be stored in the fridge, then place the airtight lids right away and refrigerate. This will last in the fridge for about 7 - 10 days.

Notes

Types of tomato to use

You can use any type of tomato for this jam.

If you use cherry tomatoes or slicing tomatoes or regular tomatoes that have a lot of pulp, then the higher moisture content will require a longer cooking time to get to the jammy consistency.

Paste tomatoes will shorten the cook time because there is less moisture / pulp in these tomatoes.

How to adjust the flavor of the jam to your taste

When the jam has thickened a little, make sure to taste it and adjust the taste to your liking.

If the jam isn’t sweet enough, add more sugar.

For acidity, add some citric acid powder.

The sweetness and acidity in the jam will depend on the flavor of the tomatoes you use.

For these cherry tomatoes that are very sweet, I use less sugar than with regular tomatoes.

How to thicken the tomato jam

The amount of thickener you add will depend on the thickness of the tomato jam at the time it’s cooked.

Depending on the type of tomato (slicing vs paste tomato), or how long the jam has been cooking for, the amount of thickener needed will be different.

For instant clearjel - Mix together 1 tsp of instant clearjel and 2 tsp of sugar. Then add about 2 tbsp of water and stir it in to form a fairly smooth paste. Add some of the jam into the paste and stir vigorously to dissolve, then add this back into the pot.

For low / no sugar pectin - Mix 1 tsp of the pectin with 1 tbsp of water. This will turn into a thickened paste. Add this to the jam directly and stir to dissolve.

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