Name: Tomato Jam
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 65 min
Ingredients: 3 pounds 3 pounds of ripe tomatoes, paste tomatoes will yield the thickest jam, but any variety will work; 3/4 cup brown sugar; 1/4 cup lemon juice; 1 teaspoon dried ginger; 1 1/2 teaspoons salt; 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/2 teaspoon onion powder; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional

Inside: This easy tomato jam recipe is a delicious way to preserve homegrown tomatoes. Tomato jam is wonderful on BLT’s in the winter when fresh tomatoes are lackluster.

I love a BLT. That’s a Bacon, Lettuce, and Tomato sandwich for those who may not know.

And I love a BLT all year long. But in the winter, good tomatoes can be hard to find. And a mealy tomato can quickly ruin a good sandwich.

But one day, I discovered tomato jam. One BLT later and I was in love. Of course, I had to put my own spin on the basic recipe I found.

tomato jam in a small mason jar with a spoon sitting on a towel

I changed the spices to suit my family’s taste and changed the preparation method a bit to get a smoother jam that my family prefers.

Since I don’t like the tomato skins in my jam, I wrote the recipe to include removing the tomato skins. Depending on the tomato variety they can be tough.

So I prefer to peel my tomatoes first. My favorite method is roasting the tomatoes, but here are 3 other ways to peel tomatoes if you prefer. You can skip that step if you choose.

Once finished, the jam can be refrigerated for 2 weeks or frozen for up to a year.

I personally can NOT vouch for the safety of this recipe if you try to can it. Many people recommend canning things that have not been tested and proven safe. I will not risk my family’s health by using an untested canning recipe. It’s just not worth it.

Affiliate Disclosure: Please note that some of the links in this article may be affiliate links and I may receive a small commission if you purchase something through a link. It will not change your cost. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. For more information, see my disclosures page.)

tomato jam on a piece of bread with lettuce and bacon on a plate

Tomato Jam Recipe

You’ll find a printable copy of this recipe at the bottom of the post.

Ingredients:

3 pounds of ripe tomatoes, paste tomatoes will yield the thickest jam, but any variety will work
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional

Instructions:

Wash the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the cores, and place skin side up on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast tomatoes at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
Pick the skins off the tomatoes and discard or dry the skins to make tomato powder.
Spoon the tomatoes into a saucepan. I discard all the extra juice. You won’t have to simmer the jam as long if you don’t add the juice to the saucepan. Add all the remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, stirring often. You don’t want the jam to stick.
Once the jam has thickened to your desired consistency, remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow to cool briefly.
Blend the jam with an immersion blender or pour into a regular blender and blend if you like a less chunky consistency. (We do blend ours.)
Spoon the tomato jam into jars. Refrigerate the jam for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year. Makes about 2 8-ounce jars plus a bit extra or about 5 4-ounce jars. Exactly how much it makes will depend on how long you cook down your jam.

Notes:

I like to freeze the jam in 4-ounce jelly jars. Then I have the perfect amount of jam for our family for BLTs. However, you can freeze in 8-ounce jelly jars or freezer storage containers.

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Tomato Jam

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 5 mins

This easy tomato jam recipe is a delicious way to preserve homegrown tomatoes. Tomato jam is wonderful on BLT's in the winter when fresh tomatoes are lackluster.

Course: Preserving

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

3 pounds 3 pounds of ripe tomatoes, paste tomatoes will yield the thickest jam, but any variety will work
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon dried ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional

Instructions

Wash the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half, remove the cores, and place skin side up on a large, rimmed baking sheet. Roast tomatoes at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Allow to cool for 20 minutes or until cool enough to handle.
Pick the skins off the tomatoes and discard or dry the skins to make tomato powder.
Spoon the tomatoes into a saucepan. I discard all the extra juice. You won't have to simmer the jam as long if you don't add the juice to the saucepan. Add all the remaining ingredients.
Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, stirring often. You don't want the jam to stick.
Once the jam has thickened to your desired consistency, remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow to cool briefly.
Blend the jam with an immersion blender or pour into a regular blender and blend if you like a less chunky consistency. (We do blend ours.)
Spoon the tomato jam into jars. Refrigerate the jam for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 1 year. Makes about 2 8-ounce jars plus a bit extra or about 5 4-ounce jars. Exactly how much it makes will depend on how long you cook down your jam.

Meet Julie

I’m a farm girl born and bred in North Carolina. I’ve been growing a vegetable garden for over 20 years (and helping my Mom grow hers even longer). I’ve been raising chickens in my bathtub and backyard for 12+ years. I believe that homegrown food can be made simple. Let’s get started.