Sweet Onion Jam

Place two large saute pans over medium low heat. Add the bacon (two slices for each pan), and cook until crisp without draining fat. Remove bacon from the pan and save it for a BLT later in the day.

Divide the sliced sweet onions and salt between the two pans, and saute in the bacon grease over medium heat while stirring frequently. Add up to one tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil to each pan if the onions start to look dry. Cook until the onions become translucent and begin to caramelize around the edges.

Transfer onions to the slow cooker, and stir in the brown sugar and balsamic vinegar.

Slow cook on the “low” setting, stirring at least every half an hour. Cook until the jam is a rich, deep brown and smells delicious. A wooden spoon pulled across the bottom of the pot should leave a trail. In my slow cooker, this took three and a half hours.

Remove from heat and let cool. Store in glass jars in the refrigerator up to a month, or can them (according to standard canning procedures) and store in the pantry for up to a year.

Makes two pints.