My sister, Diane is almost as big a foodie as Eric is.  Last Christmas, I gave Diane a basket of foodie-type items including a cookbook of family recipes and some jellies & jams I made last fall.  Diane’s family loved the Caramelized Onion & Roasted Garlic Jam I made so much that Nick, her husband, requested a case of it for his birthday.  I was going to blog about the jam in the late summer or fall when onions & garlic are typically harvested, but the jam was in such demand from Nick & some of Kelly’s friends that I decided to post it for Nick’s birthday.  So, Happy Birthday, Nick! Your “case” of jam is on it’s way!

I’ve mentioned the abundance of local farms and orchards in our area before.  A favorite is The Garlic Farm.  Friends of ours made jokes about garlic when they saw the signs for The Garlic Farm, but the farm has amazing garlic and peppers and onions and many other fresh veggies & fruits in the summer and fall.  I go to The Garlic Farm more often than I go to the grocery store!  Gary, the farm’s owner, participates in Bethlehem, CT’s Garlic & Harvest Festival in October.  It was there that we first tasted this jam and fell in love with it.  (We also had garlic pickles, garlic sauerkraut, garlic vinegar, garlic ice cream . . . )  I found a similar jam recipe on-line and made a batch of it to give to family & friends.  It’s a hit and I may have to step-up production to keep everyone supplied!  The jam is great on steaks, pork & burgers.  Eric & I like it spread on toasted French bread with some Brie on top.

Caramelized Onion & Roasted Garlic Jam (adapted from tasteofhome.com)

Makes 48 ounces of jam.  Total time required:  2 1/2  to 3 hours

Ingredients

• 4 whole garlic bulbs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 5 cups chopped sweet onions (1-1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 cups sugar
• 1 pouch (3 ounces) liquid fruit pectin

Wash the containers you will be filling with jam in hot, soapy water.  If you are canning the jam, put the jars, lids and rims in a canning pot of water set over low heat.  If you are freezing the jam, allow the containers and lids to drain and air dry.  Each container or jar should be no larger than 16 ounces, 8 ounces is ideal.

Remove the papery outer skin from the heads of the garlic (do not peel or separate the cloves). Cut the top off the garlic bulbs and brush them with oil. Wrap the bulbs in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake them at 425° for 30-35 minutes or until they are softened. Allow them to cool while the onions cook.

While the garlic is roasting, peel and chop the onions. In a large pot, saute the onions over medium heat in the butter for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occassionally.

While the onions are browning, measure out all the other ingredients.  Combine the cider vinegar, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar into a liquid measuring cup, combine all the spices in a small bowl and measure out the sugar into a large bowl.  Set them all aside.

After the garlic has cooled, squeeze it out of the papery covering and into a small bowl. Mash it thoroughly, removing any green stem shoots that are present.  Bring the canning pot of jars to a boil.  They need to boil for at least 10 minutes before being removed from the water.

When the onions are browned, add in the garlic. Pour in the liquids (the cider vinegar, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar) and add in the spices (the mustard, salt, pepper, ginger and cloves) stirring constantly.  Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.

When the jam is boiling, gradually add in the sugar, stirring constantly. Return it to a boil for 3 minutes.

Add in the pectin and bring it back to a full rolling boil. Boil it for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the jam from the heat and it let stand for 3 minutes.

Canning:  Remove the jars, lids and rims from the boiling water and turn them upside down to drain. When the 3 minutes are up for the jam, pour or ladle the hot mixture into the hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch of headspace.

Use a paper towel dampened with the boiling water to wipe any spills from the edges of the jars, put a lid on and seal with a rim. Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Remove the jars from the bath and allow to cool.  The lids will seal as they cool.  Tighten the rims and store in a cool dark place until opened.

Freezing:  Pour the jam into the clean, dry containers with lids, allowing them to cool enough to handle then put them in the freezer until needed.  Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before needed.

Once the jam is opened or thawed, keep it refrigerated and use it within 2 weeks.

This is a delicious, versatile jam!  ~Linda

Caramelized Onion & Roasted Garlic Jam (adapted from tasteofhome.com)

Makes 48 ounces of jam.  Total time required:  2 1/2  to 3 hours

Ingredients

• 4 whole garlic bulbs
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 5 cups chopped sweet onions (1-1/2 pounds)
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 6 cups sugar
• 1 pouch (3 ounces) liquid fruit pectin

Wash the containers you will be filling with jam in hot, soapy water.  If you are canning the jam, put the jars, lids and rims in a canning pot of water set over low heat.  If you are freezing the jam, allow the containers and lids to drain and air dry.  Each container or jar should be no larger than 16 ounces, 8 ounces is ideal.

Remove the papery outer skin from the heads of the garlic (do not peel or separate the cloves). Cut the top off the garlic bulbs and brush them with oil. Wrap the bulbs in heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake them at 425° for 30-35 minutes or until they are softened. Allow them to cool while the onions cook.

While the garlic is roasting, peel and chop the onions. In a large pot, saute the onions over medium heat in the butter for 30-40 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occassionally.

While the onions are browning, measure out all the other ingredients.  Combine the cider vinegar, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar into a liquid measuring cup, combine all the spices in a small bowl and measure out the sugar into a large bowl.  Set them all aside.

After the garlic has cooled, squeeze it out of the papery covering and into a small bowl. Mash it thoroughly, removing any green stem shoots that are present.  Bring the canning pot of jars to a boil.  They need to boil for at least 10 minutes before being removed from the water.

When the onions are browned, add in the garlic. Pour in the liquids (the cider vinegar, lemon juice and balsamic vinegar) and add in the spices (the mustard, salt, pepper, ginger and cloves) stirring constantly.  Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a rolling boil.

When the jam is boiling, gradually add in the sugar, stirring constantly. Return it to a boil for 3 minutes.

Add in the pectin and bring it back to a full rolling boil. Boil it for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove the jam from the heat and it let stand for 3 minutes.

Canning:  Remove the jars, lids and rims from the boiling water and turn them upside down to drain. When the 3 minutes are up for the jam, pour or ladle the hot mixture into the hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch of headspace.

Use a paper towel dampened with the boiling water to wipe any spills from the edges of the jars, put a lid on and seal with a rim. Process the jars for 10 minutes in a boiling-water bath. Remove the jars from the bath and allow to cool.  The lids will seal as they cool.  Tighten the rims and store in a cool dark place until opened.

Freezing:  Pour the jam into the clean, dry containers with lids, allowing them to cool enough to handle then put them in the freezer until needed.  Thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before needed.