Oven Charred Okra with Bacon Jam

Wow, what an amazing dish!

For the bacon jam:

• 8 ounces thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 2-inch pieces
• 1/4 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth or stock
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the okra:

• 12 ounces fresh okra
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked salt
• 3 Tablespoons butter

For the bacon jam:

1. Place the bacon in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the bacon is starting to brown, about 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Add the onion, season with salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion has browned, about 5 minutes. Add the sugar and stir to combine.
3. Add 1 cup of the broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Add 1 more cup of the broth and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and almost all of the liquid has evaporated, about 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Add the remaining cup of broth, honey, measured salt, and black pepper and stir to combine.
6. Transfer the mixture to a blender and reserve the pot. Blend until smooth, removing the small cap from the blender lid (the pour lid) and covering the space with a kitchen towel (this allows steam to escape and prevents the lid from popping off).
7. Return the mixture to the reserved pot, place over medium-high heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter; set aside. (At this point, the bacon jam can be cooled to room temperature and then refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks. Re-warm before using.)

For the okra:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Trim the stems from the okra and cut each pod in half lengthwise. Place in a large bowl, add the salt, and toss to combine; set aside.
2. On a large, well-seasoned or enameled thick baking pan, add the okra, cut-side down in a single layer,  bake for about 15 minutes, then start to watch closely.  You want it charred, but not burnt. When finished baking, remove to a medium bowl.
3. Add 1/2 cup of the bacon jam to the pan (reserve the remaining bacon jam for another use), and stir to combine. Immediately transfer to a serving dish.