Pa Hill Onion Jam product reviews

This was an amazing product, but we did get off to a bit of a shaky start. Well a jammed up start. It took three people to open the lid which was not the ideal, I am not sure if this was due to the heat in Hawkes Bay or just dumb luck. Anyway after we opened (the quite large lid) on the jar which was awkward we were humming. The packaging was pretty plain and informative but nothing to lead me to believe it would be such a versatile product.

The jam was perfect for an afternoon gathering with friends to start with (see photo). We all loved the depth of the rich colour, the texture and the general look was much better than it looked in the jar. It looked a lot more like a chutney that had been grated than a jam. There was a tiny bit of liquid you had to watch for but it was great looking. The smell was a bit balsamic which was nice and fresh. I found the texture led me to use a knife rather than a teaspoon to get it out but maybe a spoon would work if you were adding it to dishes (I was spreading an ocean of crackers!)

We found the taste both tart and zingy, lots of flavour and not too much sweetness, The spiciness wasn't too much to overpower the other ingredients and because of this the uses were ample and it was really perfect with a range of cheeses. Best for us with cheddar in the end. We also tried it on a quiche which was a success. I wanted to try it in a casserole but hubby said it would be lost so we added it to some toasted sandwiches with cheese which was great. Might also work really well with potatoes. I love this and will be buying more. I am also keen to try other products by Pa Hill.

I love a yummy onion relish on burgers or with cheese and crackers and was looking forward to trying Pa Hill's Onion Jam. It comes in a glass jar with a simple label with a catchy phrase, "One day I'm going to make Onions cry!" which brought a smile to my face. It also features the graphics of a Kotuku or White Heron that is rarely seen at Pukorokoro, Miranda. To see one once in a lifetime is considered to be good fortune, so I had already learned something new before even sampling the jam! Upon opening, I was impressed to see the thinly sliced onions full to the brim. There was a strong balsamic vinegar smell, although it's the last ingredient on the list (usually meaning it is the ingredient used the least).

I decided to try this on a cheeseburger and was a little dubious because of the strong balsamic vinegar scent. I was pleasantly surprised that when eaten, the vinegar taste was faint and the onions took over! Because they have been soaked in vinegar, the onions were very soft, a little bit soggy, but very tasty. They complimented my burger lovely and I preferred them to a regular fried onion. I also used them with cheese and crackers and the soft onions went well with the dry cheese and crackers and were a splendid combination!

They are a little on the expensive side but the jar is packed to the brim, handmade and with simple ingredients and no artificial additives or flavourings, which is also a bonus. The Onion Jam is extremely versatile and would be amazing with a cheese platter, pizza, or sandwich.

This product is unlike any other onion jam I have tasted. It is more like an onion version of sauerkraut, if that is possible! On opening the jar, I was greeted by what appeared to be a jar of onions and nothing else. Only the wonderful spicy pickle smell confirmed that it was indeed a preserve. I tasted some and it was just like eating a pickled onion except that the onions were sliced and had a shiny coating. Delicious and very moreish.

I could think of many different ways to use the jam, so we started with a pizza. Pickled onions always go so well with cheese so this was an obvious choice. We spread the jam on the base then built it up with a selection of salami, bacon, mushroom, and tomatoes. The topping consisted of mozzarella, parmesan, and a sprinkle of paprika. When it emerged from the oven, we could smell the onions above everything else. It was so appetising that we ate the whole pizza between us.

Tasting the onions on the pizza made me think about sausage sizzles - the sort you get outside supermarkets when people fundraising for a charity or a sports trip give you a cheap burned sausage on even cheaper white bread and you buy it because you want to support them. The saving grace with those sausages is the fried onion that usually accompanies them, and which makes the whole thing edible. I made our own version of the sausage sizzle for lunch, but I used decent sausages and wholegrain bread, and added a dollop of onion jam on top. So good, and a far cry from the fundraiser sausage. Mine actually had flavour!

The third way we tried the onion jam was on a ciabatta roll with pastrami and sliced tomatoes. I really enjoyed that: it was flavoursome, and although I had technically eaten enough after one, I was greedy and ate a second because it was so nice. It is a pity that this jam is relatively expensive because I can think of so many other ways I could use it, but my jar is already empty alas.

And the positive? Apart from the wonderful taste and appearance of the product, I was impressed by the slogan "One day I'm going to make Onions cry!" on the jar. That says it all. We have all had the experience of having our eyes water when we chop up onions, and when travelling I tend to avoid them as whole onions can be messy and even smelly. Having the product in a jar, however, is perfect for when you are using someone else's kitchen or preparing a meal in a motel. It is clean, quick, and so versatile. Ideal for that road trip!