I finally decided to try making tomato jam after reading about it in all my favorite Southern food magazines. I knew I had to do it before all the good late-summer tomatoes were gone, so I busted out my canning supplies.
I’ve learned that using high-quality tomatoes is key for this recipe. If you use hothouse tomatoes, the jam will look right, but it will taste only of spices. I got some beautiful, tangy tomatoes from the farmers’ market and was able to ask the farmer which variety he recommended for jam. He got so excited because he’d never heard of it, and now he wants to try it! I guess I’ll have to bring him a jar. I told him I needed the best, most tomato-forward variety, and he directed me to one he uses for sauce. How lucky to be able to buy direct—I was rewarded with a flavorful tomato spread that truly packs a punch!
This recipe makes 5-6 8-ounce jars, depending on the size of your tomatoes.
Spicy Organic Tomato Jam
If you’re giving this jam as a gift, be sure to let people know how to use it! I printed out a little note that said:
Spicy Organic Tomato Jam Serve as a spread with chèvre/goat cheese. Also very good with grilled pork, grilled salmon, chicken, burgers, BLTs, and turkey sandwiches.
Now that I have a jar open, I’d also add that it’s amazing on toast with a poached egg on top.
Ingredients
- 4-5 pounds of nice, red, tangy tomatoes, cored and cut into 1-inch pieces
- 2.5 cups of packed light brown sugar
- 3 large lemons
- 3 teaspoons of ground cumin
- 4 teaspoons of Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons of crushed red pepper flakes
- ⅛ teaspoon of cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon of nutmeg
- 3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
- 15 slices of peeled ginger, ⅛-inch thick
- 2 tablespoons of fruit pectin (Tomatoes have pectin in them, but I’ve reduced the sugar in my recipe and didn’t want a runny jam.)
Directions
- Clean and core the tomatoes and chop them into 1-inch chunks. Place the tomatoes in a pot.
- Zest the lemons and add the zest to the pot. Squeeze the lemon juice through a strainer and add it to the pot.
- Add the brown sugar, spices, salt, red pepper flakes, and ginger. Stir everything together.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Once it’s bubbling hot, add the pectin and stir it in well.
- Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are dark and the jam has thickened, about 40 to 50 minutes. Reduce the heat if the mixture starts to scorch.
- Meanwhile, sterilize six 8-ounce canning jars and lids.
- Fill the jars with the tomato jam, leaving a ¼-inch headspace.
- Seal the jars and process them in a water bath for 10 additional minutes.
