Tomato Jam

Folks,

You may want to check out a pectin called Pomona's Universal Pectin. It differs from "normal" pectins in that it does not need any sugar to make the jam. The pectin is from citrus skins. It uses Calcium (provided as the catalyst). Find it on amazon. We are reducing sugar intake (typically 50 to 85% in jams). This makes a very good jam. For a light sweetness, we use maple syrup or honey. You can also use artificial sweeteners. Jams actually taste fruity. Highly recommend.

Nice flavor but too much sugar. I would start with 1/4 cup and add up to 1/2 cup as needed. I also put 1 chopped yellow pepper and 1/2 chopped red onion into it.

When I am too lazy to put much effort into dinner, I toast some bread, spread this jam on top, then scramble an egg with hot pepper flakes and parmesan cheese and put that on top also.

Halve the sugar, half again the cooking time.
Cook until a path scraped across the bottom doesn't fill in.
Made just under two half-pints, jars preheated at 325° for 15 minutes to seal.

I have made a large batch or two of this every year for the last 4 years, reduce the sugar, increase the lime juice and ginger, use jalapeño, serrano or habanero peppers and cook it down in an electric skillet on low to reduce the need to stir and the risk of scorching. Taste. I do a hot water bath as for other jams and give as gifts with friends asking when they will receive another jar of jam. Is very good in chicken/turkey sandwiches, pork sausage patties and biscuits and seasoning stir fry

Check out the "Food in Jars" blog - she does not advise canning recipes that have not been specifically tested for canning; however, she also has a tomato jam recipe on the current blog, and in her archive/cookbook. My gut says this one would be fine; but check first.
www.foodinjars.com

With crackers and sharp cheese!
You can make this recipe and then freeze it in small amounts. Thaws just great when someone comes over.

Used 6 lbs of tomatoes, so quadrupled the recipe with two exceptions: 1) Only added 2 t of salt rather than 4 (and it was kosher, not table salt). 2) I used 2 c white sugar and 1 cup dark brown sugar for a total of 3 c of sugar, rather than 4 c (since other users remarked it was too sweet).

Simmered on low heat for a good 6 hours or so, until it had reduced by just over half. Absolutely scrumptious. Ended up with approx 5 c of jam (40 oz.)

I've made this several times now and the stated directions are best. When I tried halving the sugar, the jam tasted too much like marinara. 75 minutes was just about right for cooking time if you cook at a medium temp. I guess the cooking time could be shorter if you have drier tomatoes or cook on high, but my tomatoes were straight from the garden and full of moisture.

Love a nice tomato jam for spreading on crackers with creamy goat cheese - fantastic appetizer. Also good with any roasted or barbecued meat. Try it on burgers instead of ketchup.
Here's a recipe that's great for safe canning as well as links to a couple of other great tomato jams (of which this is one!). http://www.gettystewart.com/tomato-jam/

My guess is that the larger amount of sugar is needed to preserve. Most fruit jams call for a sugar amount that is 3/4 of the fruit amount. Perhaps this recipe would last more than a week.......

This has been a stand=by recipe for years. I can it, processing for 20 minutes, 1/4 inch headspace. Love it.

I reduced the sugar to 1/2 cup upon reading the other notes and I am glad I did.

I tried this and went with the suggestion of cutting the sugar in half and it is plenty sweet enough. I also substituted the cumin and cloves with ground anise and orange zest. It gives a slight Asian twist to this sweet/hot condiment and was tasty on grilled steak.

I had never eaten Tomato Jam - someone at work gave me tomatoes yesterday and so I tried this and ...wow, so simple, and so delicious and like the Getty said below was amazing with Goat cheese on crackers. Thank you! I used a little cayenne pepper at the end and powdered ginger, because that's what I had on hand, and it turned out very nice.