For the past few years, home canning and preserving has been growing in popularity. As people master the basics like strawberry and raspberry jam, they look for new challenges. ABC News reports that increasingly, people are finding that outlet in savory jams. These semi-sweet concotions “occupy the space between chunky relishes made of pickled items and smoother spreads and purees” and offer loads of new flavor possibilities. They also help you make use of any extra produce from your garden.

Marisa McClellan, creator of indexed blog Food in Jars and author of Preserving by the Pint, is always “looking at ways to open people’s eyes to the different opportunities in preserve making.” Some of her savory jams include apricot rosemary jam and tomato jam. For the latter, she might serve it “with roasted sweet potato rounds or whirr it in the food processor with cream cheese for dip. A dollop of caramelized shallot jam livens up a grain bowl, she says, and a ramekin of peach-Sriracha jam makes a great dipping sauce.”

Naturally, another popular ingredient in savory jams is bacon. Bacon jam surprises the taste buds, because people aren’t expecting the sweet punch with the salty and savory flavors. As Chicago chef Gregory Ellis notes, “It pleases everyone and they like it after they try it.” He uses it in his pork belly sandwich and on French toast. While bacon jam may be a novelty, other savory jams have been around for ages, like hot pepper jelly, a Southern U.S. staple.

Are you a fan of savory jams? If so, which is your favorite?

Photo of Roasted tomato jam from indexed blog Food52 and the EYB Library