Tomato Jam
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.
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.