Garlic Onion Jam

This sounds yummy (although I'm probably the only one in my house who thinks so). Would adding an acid like lemon juice or vinegar let you keep it longer, or would that adversly effect the taste?

Would you mind sporting the recipe please? Onions and garlic are easy to buy in bulk. Thanks for sharing, sounds delicious

This is why a lot of people get sick storing their chopped garlic in oil or water
The jars you buy in the store already processed are made with dehydrated garlic which is processed with hi heat.. Would the addition of an acid alter taste ? although I have never done it I believe it would.. I make a Vadallia onion marmalade, but I use sugar and salt to process and I don't jar it. Sodium Benso. may be able to be used but you have to have a permit to aquire it down here. It is really a poison if used incorrectly. It is used in a lot of commercial products.:D

I won't be one quickly seeking out SB so thanks for the warning on that stuff.
I googled a recipe and I will be making the two versions on chowhound.com
I love the sound of both... A tad bit different.

Garlic/Onion Jam? really? I never heard about it but I am a big fan of garlic.This sounds like it would be wonderful on top of warm bread. I want to try it now! :smiles:

I made the one from epicurious and didn't have two of the ingredients so don't think it's fair to judge.
one was ginger now can't remember the other but anyway, it was only OK.

today I made a bread of flour yeast salt pepper onion powder garlic powder sugar olive oil sun dried tomatoes in oil [didn't use any of the oil] basil flowers and chili powder. although it sounds offal, I just snipped the very edge off. I think I'll spread some of the onion garlic jam on it and see how it is. otherwise, I'll use the pepper/onion/tomato medley in olive oil that I sauteed earlier for that purpose. thick balsamic will go over the vegetables on warm toasted above bread

Mmm, Vadallia onion marmalade. That sounds good. How do you make that, if you don't mind me askin?

Do note that if you want to make this stuff and store it longer, there should be no problem pressure-canning it. You want to check with your local extension service for advice -- times, pressures, etc. And of course you'll need a pressure canning setup, but especially at this time of year your local extension service may well have a list of processing kitchens where you can use the equipment for a fairly nominal fee. As a rule, the only problem with pressure canning (apart from the equipment itself) is that whatever you can is subjected to very high heat for a long time, which can really screw up textures and sometimes flavors. But if you're making jam, what difference could it possibly make?

However, word to the wise: DO NOT guess about times or pressures. DO NOT attempt to create a pressure-canner with your pressure cooker and some guesswork. If you don't do it right, the best case scenario would be rotten food. Second-best, the cans or jars shatter. Those are the good scenarios. The bad one is friends and family dying from botulism. DON'T MESS AROUND.

Balsamic vinegar
light brown sugar
SLICED VADALIA ONIONS
drop of olive oil salt and pepper to taste


Saute onions till transparent and limp, add balsamic and sugar reduce over low heat till syrupy take off fire and cool.

I use it with pork , gourmet burgers etc.:roll:

Tasty. Going to try it. Thanks!

The way I make mine is simple, but takes a while. French about 3 -4 onions of your choice. I usually use 1 red, 1 yellow and 2 vidalia, maui, etc. sweet onions, depends on what the market has. In truth I think that given the cooking time, it doesn't really make much difference in the final product.

Melt about 3 - 4 tablespoons of buttter in a big skillet over medium low heat. When melted, cover the bottom of the pan with onions. Sprinkle a scant tablespoon of kosher salt over. Add another layer of onions, another light coating of salt, repeat until all the onions are in. Cover the pan and slowly sweat/steam the onions. Don't stir for at least 30 - 40 minutes. This is NOT a dish for the impatient. The onions should not be browning, they should just be getting soft and limp. Cook for another hour or so, stirring every now and again.

When all the onions are meltingly soft and the whole house smells like sweet onions pour in about a cup of white wine, or vermouth or sherry, whatever you have on hand and suits your fancy. Turn up the heat a bit and reduce until the wine and onion juice forms a nice syrup. If you don't want to go the wine route, a not too salty chicken stock works well too. Reducing a salty stock too far is NOT a good idea.

If you want garlic, sometimes I add about a head's worth of crushed cloves at the point of the first stirring. Yes, a head, not just a clove. The long slow cooking method combined with the alkaline salt pretty much negates all the acidic sulpher compounds of the onions and the garlic, if used. If you didn't know the recipe you would swear that a bunch of sugar must have been added, the final result is so sweet and creamy. If you want something with a real sharp bite this is not the recipe, you need to go with a higher heat, shorter time approach. Golden brown, carmelized onions are a different recipe.

What to do with it? It is a great topping as is for grilled meats, burgers and such. Dice up some bacon, render it down in a pan, some chpped bell pepper would not be amiss, degrease a bit, throw in some saurkraut and some of this onion jam - a good side dish for pork or spread on the brat or kielbasa in the bun.

Or take some of it and for every volume of onion marmelade put in two volumes of chicken stock, maybe three depending on how you like your soup. Simmer for a while, a bit of black pepper, maybe a dash of salt to taste. Shave some parm or romano or gruyere on top of each bowl - not a classic french onion soup but quite tasty.

Oh, as for the original question, I have no idea how long it might last. I only make 2 - 3 cups at a time and it is gone within a week. No storage issues involved.

mjb.

Ice Making Machine

To preserve your jam you have to keep them in refrigerator.It will protect your jam for long period.

in the frig right now is the jalepeno jelly I just made.  although I don't see where the recipe for this jam in question here ^^^[in this post] is, perhaps not posted, I am new to jam making and anxious about the frig life or shelf life too.

my bigger question is where do I buy a pot tall enough to can properly with out having to take out a loan?

 

This is an awesome product....usually add a couple bay leaves as well.

 

For a fun brunch dish....lay some warm onion jam down in centre of the plate, surround with straw potatoes and top with a couple of poached eggs ...comes out like a yummy cooked bird's nest. (The straw potatoes are quick & easy with a julienne peeler.)
 

LuvPie - Actually any pot with a lid will do if you are want to can using a water bath.  (I'm assuming you are talking about a water bath when you indicate heigth is a problem.)  A proper water bath is tall enough to hold your jars, plus enough water to cover your jars by two inches. And when the water is boiling, the pot needs a little more heigth so that the boiling water doesn't splash all over you and the stove! 

 

Water baths also have a "canning rack" that fits inside the pot to prevent jars from touching the bottom of the pot, where the extreme heat can cause the jars to shatter.  If you don't want to pay for a canning rack to fit in the bottom of your pot (they are about $10 online), you can use a heavy tea towel at the bottom of the pot.  This method is cumbersome but doable.  It works best if you can make enough jars to fill the bottom of the pot and thus hold the towel in place.  Messy, but economical!

 

Is this helpful?  Let me know if you really meant a pressure canner.  Good luck!

I don't particularly care for the racks that come with canning kettles; they're awkward to use, tip easily, and take up too much space. What's more, bought as an accessory, they cost up to twice the figure Jamlady gave.

 

But her advice about some sort of rack should never be ignored. It is important that something insulate the bottom of the jars from the bottom of the kettle. Even a dish towel, as she notes, can work. But doing so, especially without a full load of jars, can really define "awkward" and "cumbersome."

 

There are lots of inexpensive alternatives. If you know somebody who cans, ask them for their old rings. You can wire them together and, presto, a perfect rack. Or check the barbecue accessories section of the store. Chances are there's a small, round grate that will fit your kettle. You can even cut a piece of hardward cloth to fit; but it's not as long-lasting because it rusts relatively quickly. But it's a cheap way to go.

 

As to product storage, it really depends on the recipe. We tend to use the word "jam" to describe the texture of a product. But jam is, technically, a method of preserving fruits and other foodstuffs using sugar as the preserving medium. Other preservation media, for low-acid foods like onions and garlic, include acids (i.e., vinegar, wine) and high-temperature (i.e., 240F+) which can be achieved, at home, only with a pressure canner. Note, too, that there is a difference between pressure canners and pressure cookers. The later should not be used for canning, because the time/pressure figures will be off.

 

Lacking such media, the recipe should be considered a refrigerator product, and stored that way.

 

For instance, take Ed's guidelines for vidalia jam. The entire key in that is the amount of balsamic used. In sufficient quantity, the jam could be safely processed in a boiling water bath. Just a tablespoon or two for flavor, and it has to be kept in the fridge.

 

I make a similar red onion marmalade that is safe to can in a bwb. No reason vidalia's or other sweet onions couldn't be subbed. If going that route I would likely use a white wine:

 

Carmelized Red Onion Marmalade

 

2 large red onions, sliced (about 1 1/2 lbs)

2 tbls brown sugar

3/4 cup dry red wine

3 tbls balsamic vinegar

Salt & pepper

 

In a large saucepan combine onions and brown sugar. Cook over moderate heat, stirring often, until onions carmelize and turn golden, 20-25 minutes.

 

Stir in wine and vinegar. Increase heat to moderately high. Bring to boil, reduce heat to moderately low. Cook, sitrring often, until most of the liquid evaporates, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

 

If using immediately, set aside to cool and serve at room temperature. Will keep at least a week (likely more) in the fridge.

 

To can, fill sterile 1/2 pint jars with the hot mixture, leaving 1/2" headspace. Process in a boiling water bath 10 minutes.

I've included a link for Presto canning racks that are less than $10. This is the type of rack I use for all my pressure and water bath needs, and I'm very satisfied with the result (I canned 10,000 jars last year).

 

http://www.pressurecooker-canner.com/prestpcanning.html

 

And if you can't find one available because it is canning season and supplies may start to dwindle, write to me.  We sell the same canning racks for $10 plus tax and shipping.  These racks don't tip and are quite convenient to store during the off-season.

 

If you prefer a more traditional water bath rack, here is a link to one for $10.

 

http://www.canningpantry.com/canner-rack.html

 

Great onion jam recipe, Heirloomer.  I will definately try that this winter when I'm in the mood for comfort food.

I love the Presto racks myself, Jamlady. They do the job, are unobstrusive, and there is absolutely no chance of them tipping.

 

Cautionary note to newbies: If you're going to be doing a lot of canning, it pays to get  two of them, so you can stack jars. That is, do two layers of pints for instance, or a layer of pints and a layer of half pints. But, if you're shopping for a pressure canner, check first as the racks  usually are included---which isn't always the case with a boiling water kettle.

I am a fan of garlic and onions but I just don't know if I like as a jam..sounds interesting

Heirloomer - the new Presto pressure canners, sadly, only come with one rack.  It doesn't include a second one for layering jars, as it used to. 

 

I talked to Presto's home economist about this issue and she said to simply set one layer on top of the other, alternating the jars so they sit just on the rings, not the lids (so proper venting can occur).  (Newbies - venting is when the oxygen is forced from a jar because of high heat and pressure.  This creates a vacuum inside the jar when it cools.)

 

Respectfully, I disagreed with her.  If you carry a pot to the stove, or move it, or the pot rattles with the intense heat, there is a chance that the wet jars on the top layer will wiggle around and move right on top of the bottom jars, preventing venting. 

 

She had no rebuttal to that effect, so I continue to order extra canning racks for my students.  It is very sad to watch, over the years, the shortcuts companies take as they manufacture our tools.  My older equipment is much finer than that which I've purchased in the last 5-10 years!

 

Also, thought to mention that new canners should not to try layering in water baths because the pressure of so much water over the first layer of jars can prevent venting.  USDA and Ball recommend two inches of water over the single layer of jars in water baths.  Layering in pressure canners is just fine, however.

I love garlic and onion jam as a spread for pizza blanca.  Just the jam, fresh tomatoes and basil, cheese.  Yummm....  Again, I've really enjoyed reading all the good ideas on this thread.  You really started something, Baxter!

Sorry to hear that about Presto, JamLady. A short-sighted cost savings, if you ask me. Given the cost of pressure canners, another couple of bucks would get lost in the total price.

 

I agree with you 100% about stacking the jars directly on the bottom layer. That is not a stable arrangement, in my opinion. So, let's look at the trade off:

 

A one-time ten bucks for a second rack, vs. the high risk of numerous jars not sealing (which means the direct cost of the lids, plus the time/effort/fuel cost to reprocess the unsealed jars).

 

From where I sit, that's a no-brainer. Not using a second rack is a false savings.

 

I'd not heard, before, about layering in a BWB being a problem. Interesting. As a general rule I only layer when doing batches of half-pints, and it's not been a problem. But I can see where your comment could make sense with larger jars.

 

Speaking of BWB, though, one thing I've found with beginners is that they want to rush things, and don't realize that the timer starts when the water has returned to a full rolling boil, not when they first put the jars in.

 

Do you run into that much?

 

How could this not be good, there is a food truck in Seattle named "The Skillet" they make this, and run a top food truck experience around town..................I would take Bacon Jam over sex ........IMHO its the perfect partner with your burger.............Great Idea................ChefBillyB

 

will write about restaurants and small businesses with interesting house-made treats.
 

Stick the tip of a spoon into a jar of Skillet’s Bacon Jam and, after taking the tiniest taste, you’ll hear Lady Miss Kier singing “Damn, that’s my jam” in your head. Another swallow of the smoky, tart spread and you’ll begin obsessing about the ways in which the stuff can be used. Cheddar shortbread thumbprint cookies? Unholy potato pancakes?

The jam’s creator, Josh Henderson, spent a good four years perfecting the marmalade and serves it, “special sauce” style, on the signature burgers he fires up at Skillet Street Food, his fleet of food trucks (Airstreams, to be precise) in Seattle. Sure, the CIA grad turned caterer deserves proper credit, but the best thing to happen to sliced bread since sliced bread wouldn’t exist without Sang Yoon, the man behind the burger-’n'-beer bastion Father’s Office in Santa Monica, Calif., where Henderson dined when he lived in those parts. Yoon decks out his patties with caramelized onions, bacon compote and dabs of blue cheese, a combo that inspired the Washington State concoction. Henderson was more interested in the porky, funky end of that flavor profile than its sweeter, oniony side, but, make no mistake, this does qualify as jam.  

Consistency’s the thing. “Some of it comes from fat,” Henderson explains. “It’s also the reduced-down vinegar and onion; their sugars give you that thickness.” Should you feel like making your own version of the condiment, which Henderson jokingly calls “trailer-park rillettes,” here are a few clues: everything is cooked in the same pot, and “a lot of skimming and rendering of fat” are required. It’s also essential to preserve some of the bacon’s texture. “What I didn’t want was to have it taste like a hot dog, which happens if it’s too pureed,” Henderson cautions. Instead, the bacon’s savory character and slight char lend depth that goes beyond hickory. Henderson is terse when prompted to disclose the added seasonings. “Spices,” he says.

Future plans include Skippy-esque varieties of the confit — i.e., chunky or smooth — and a collaboration with Maker’s Mark for next Christmas (a bourbon-apple version in jars sealed with red wax). For true addicts, Henderson says he’s going to put together a little cookbook in the spring to show people what they can do with the jam. Ideas are welcome. Early options include using it in a warm vinaigrette for spinach salad; mixing it into mashed potatoes; stirring it into hot pasta in lieu of pancetta; or, as the Skillet transporter does, putting it on a burger with cambozola cheese and arugula.

Those are bonus points. This is a condiment that doesn’t require a vehicle. A spoonful’s plenty.

Heirloomer - I think I've heard it all.  Not only starting the timer too soon, but some wild ideas.  Here are some hilarious (and some not-so-funny) beliefs and incidents that a fellow preserver would enjoy:

 

- Putting baby aspirin in the top of each jar adds enough acid to kill bacteria.

 

- Putting jars in a dishwasher and turning it on the dry cycle can replace bwb.

 

- It's o.k. to put jars of meat into the oven and turn it on 175 for 10 minutes in lieu of pressure canning.  Seriously, this lady told me I was a "sad slave" to my pressure canner! 

 

- Pressure canners operate by filling the entire pot with water. 

 

- And I saved the best for last.  (Please know that I love KY, vacationed at Cumberland for years, camped there, and might retire there someday.  Some of the best food I've ever eaten was cooked in KY!)     But just last week an 83-year old lady told me that she pressure canned her green beans 10 minutes at 10 lbs. pressure (actually, she came to my kitchen for a pressure check because she couldn't raise the pressure above 5 lbs.)  After showing her how to wash her gasket with 15 years of built-up thick guck underneath, I demonstrated how easy the Ball Blue Book is to use.  She looked at the book, looked back at me and said,"Well, I never read any book about canning because I'm from Kentucky.  Back home in Kentucky we don't need to read books."

 

Lordy, Heirloomer, she could have been from ANY state, but using her state as a reason for not reading cracked me UP!!  I remained straight-faced, serious, and respectful, but I'll never forget that afternoon.

 

In all fairness, I don't think she used such incorrect timing for canning beans in the past.  The times she said she used were WAY off, and she would have certainly experienced some horrible results.  I don't think she could remember the timing anymore.  I showed her daughter how to check her work in the future.

 

Got any good stories?

Jamlady

 

 

 

You mean from the "....and we ain't killed nobody yet" school of food preservation?

 

The thing to understand is that in the rural south most people who put foods by learned the traditional methods. Many techniques that have been repudiated and considered unsafe are, therefore, fairly common.

 

Open kettle canning, for instance, is probably more common than not. We have some friends who do green beans via open kettle. She fills the jars with beans (which haven't even been blanched), pours boiling water over them, puts on the lids and stands the jars upside down. Any that seal are safe.

 

When I called her down on this her reply was, "that's the way my mother always did it, and  her mother before her. And we ain't killed nobody yet."

 

Uh, huh. Maybe she hasn't killed anybody yet. But I won't eat beans at their house.

 

There's also a de facto compitition among old timers to see who can put up the most jars of beans. Everywhere you go, in late summer and fall, you'll hear little old ladies talking. "I'm running a little behind, this year. Only got 200 quarts done so far." I mean, really. They buy bushels and bushels of beans and put them up.

 

What happens to all those quarts? Your guess is as good as mine. Some of those ladies must have a thousand quarts of beans stored down in the basement. I've always been afraid to ask, for fear they'd invite me to take some home. And I don't want to insult them by declining. But, on the other hand, there probably are all sorts of antique jars down there as well.

 

I think a lot of the horror stories arise because people do not understand the process. Even those who have read the books, and belong to canning lists, etc. They do, indeed, slavishly follow the instructions, but lack any comprehension as to why they are doing what they do. Then, when faced with something new, they turn to the literature, but misunderstand it. Add in a veneer of old-timey methods, and there you go.

 

this lady told me I was a "sad slave" to my pressure canner! 

 

It's true. You are. After all, you don't need a pressure canner. Just let the jars of low-acid food boil a little longer and that will kill any bad germs. Everybody knows that!

 

(Disclaimer for newbies and casual canners: What I just said is not true. You can boil food for 20 years and it will never rise higher than 212F---which is not high enough to destroy certain pathogens)

 

Heirloomer - you are HILARIOUS!!!  Thanks for the pick-me-up this morning!  And more insight to the history that leads to the

 

 

You are soooo correct!!!

Of couse they "ain't killed no one yet."  The extra chromosome makes them immune.

 

BDL

Adding more salt probably will make shelf life longer,but the taste maybe will be not as good as it is before.