Caramelized Onion Jam Recipe

Caramelized Onion Jam

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This easy-to-make sweet-tart onion jam is great with roasted meats and poultry, grilled salmon, and even fresh goat cheese.

Hugh Acheson

Updated on May 11, 2023

Total Time:

45 mins

Yield:

2 cups

Savory jams might be far less pervasive than their fruity counterparts, but both types bring the same virtue to the table: Jams of all kinds provide concentrated hits of flavor to whatever you slather them on. Meltingly soft and mellow caramelized onions are a favorite in their own right; turning them into jam opens up a whole new world of condiment possibilities.

This onion jam recipe has two layers of caramelization for double the deliciousness. First, the onions are cooked on their own until they're golden brown. It's the sugar within the onions that's responsible for this round of caramel flavor; all onions contain sugar, but the sweet onions used here amplify the process. Keep a watchful eye as they cook, adjusting the heat and stirring as necessary to avoid burning. The second round of caramelization comes from the addition of sugar, which gets cooked until it reaches amber brown.

Chef Hugh Acheson serves the jam with his excellent Grilled Rack of Lamb with Mustard and Herbs. It's also wonderful on burgers, grilled cheese, or other roasted meats.

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Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 large sweet onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 parsley sprigs
2 bay leaves
1 rosemary sprig
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
Kosher salt

Directions

Diana Chistruga

Gather the ingredients.
Diana Chistruga

In a large pot, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the onions and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
Diana Chistruga

Tie the parsley, bay leaves, and rosemary together with kitchen twine. Add the herb bundle to the diced onions and cook over low heat, stirring a few times, until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
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Sprinkle the sugar over the onions and cook, without stirring, until the sugar melts, about 5 minutes.
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Increase the heat to high and cook, without stirring, until an amber-brown caramel forms, about 6 minutes.
Diana Chistruga

Stir in the white balsamic vinegar and simmer over low heat, stirring a few times, until the jam is thick, about 5 minutes. Discard the herb bundle. Season the jam with salt and let cool to warm.