Smoked Onion Jam

I've tasted many products from Tennessee's culinary juggernaut Blackberry Farm, and they are all delicious. But this is my favorite.

They start with vidalia onions from Georgia that they smoke over hickory and a bit of oak for a long time to cook down. That makes the already sweet onions even sweeter and gives them a smoky flavor that's impossible to imitate and truly compelling. 

The onions are then mixed with a bit of sherry vinegar and benne seeds, which are similar to sesame seeds. The seeds balance the smooth texture of the jam and the vinegar balances the sweet and smoky flavor with the bright tang of the vinegar. 

'Well-balanced' is a term that comes to mind often when I think of this jam because it has it all: sweet, savory, smoky, and bright. It's amazing with grilled meats like tenderloin or a ribeye steak (I used it over the weekend on the ribeye...awesome). But I highly recommend slathering it atop a grilled burger because that's where it really shines. If you're not near a grill, make a ham sandwich with this spread on the bread instead of the usual mayo and mustard. It'll be your new favorite condiment.