Fresh Tomato Bacon Jam
August is the beginning of tomato season in Topsfield. By September, local gardeners will be enjoying the rewards of plants started months ago.
That includes the hundreds of tomato seedlings grown each spring by the Topsfield Garden Club. Many of those plants also find their way into the hands of local fifth graders through the Tomato Day program at Proctor School, helping connect the next generation to Topsfield's agricultural roots.
One Topsfield resident who knows a thing or two about tomatoes is Donna-Marie Ryan. A retired biology teacher who taught at Masconomet Regional High School for 35 years, Ryan is a self-taught cook who has spent more than two decades entering recipe contests.
"I entered my first contest to encourage a friend's daughter to enter," Ryan recalls. "She was studying wine, and the grand prize was a trip to wine country in France. She didn't win—I won runner-up!"
Since then, Ryan has continued creating original recipes and entering competitions. Her Fresh Tomato Bacon Jam was developed for Topsfield's first Tomato Festival contest and earned national recognition as the First Prize winner in the 2025 Tomato Recipe Contest featured in the 2026 Old Farmer's Almanac Gardening magazine.
The sweet-savory spread combines peak-season tomatoes with bacon, onions, maple syrup, and balsamic vinegar. Ryan suggests serving it on sandwiches, spooning it over eggs, or adding it to a charcuterie board.
Fresh Tomato Bacon Jam
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon
- 2 cups chopped sweet onions
- 2 cups peeled and chopped heirloom tomatoes*
- 3 cups peeled and chopped plum tomatoes
- ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Slice bacon in half and arrange on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked but not crispy.
- Remove bacon, cut slices in half, and place in a large skillet. Cook for several minutes over medium heat to render fat from bacon. Add onions and continue cooking for 7 minutes, stirring often. Add tomatoes, paprika, salt, brown sugar, and maple syrup. Cook for 25 minutes, stirring frequently. When liquid has reduced, add balsamic vinegar and stir.
- In a food processor, pulse warm jam several times to chop the bacon.
Makes 4 cups.
* Peeling Tip: Cut an x into the bottom of a tomato. Submerge it in boiling water for 30 seconds, then immediately submerge it in cold water. Remove from water; the skin will peel away easily.
Editor's Note: The Topsfield Garden Club's annual tomato sale takes place each spring, typically in May and June. Watch for details next year if you'd like to grow some of the heirloom varieties that make recipes like this one shine.