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2 slices smoky bacon, diced
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Our first guest blog ever on The Joy Kitchen is by Marisa McClellan, who blogs at www.foodinjars.com and who recently published a book by the same name. After following her blog for quite some time, then purchasing and using her book, I can safely say that Marisa's enthusiasm for and skill with all things canned and preserved is downright inspirational. The recipe below for tomato jam is no exception.
In the springtime, I approach food preservation with great care. I fuss over my jams, giving plenty of thought to size of my fruit dice and the length of time I allow for maceration. My pickles are packed into jars with great precision and accuracy. That time of year, I’m delighted to be anticipating the coming abundance.
Come August, my elevated aspirations are gone. I can to get it done, to get those bits of summer into their respective jars before the season is gone and I’m left with the potatoes, storage squash and kale of winter. And so my many acts of preservation become a bit frenzied and as easy as I can make them.
Because tomatoes only appear in volumes appropriate for preserving towards the end of summer, I always feel slightly fevered when prepping them for canning. The bulk of the tomatoes I do are simply peeled and packed into jars whole. I always save a few out for slow roasting and I try to make at least two batches of tomato jam every season.
Of all the things I make each year, the one I’d miss the most is that tomato jam. It’s not a recipe I invented. I didn’t find it sifting through one of my many preserving books. This version of tomato jam came into my life through my friend Amy. She’s an avid preserver and is one of the best home cooks I know. One year, she gave me a half pint of this jam and a week later, after I’d scraped every last drop from the jar, I went back to her to beg for the recipe. Thankfully, she was willing to share.
What makes this jam so terrific is that it tastes like high-class ketchup. The flavor profile is familiar, but better than any squirt bottle of Heinz I’ve ever encountered. I slather it on turkey burgers and dip wedges of oven-roasted sweet potatoes into it. You can serve it with a cheese platter, or just plop a jar on the picnic table to go with hot dogs. It’s versatile and delicious. In my book, you can’t ask much more of a preserve than that.
5 pounds tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
3 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup bottled lime juice
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon sea salt
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
Combine all ingredients in a large, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer the jam, stirring regularly, until it reduces to a sticky, jammy mess. Toward the end of cooking, be vigilant about stirring, as it burns easily when it’s nearly finished. When it is done, it should look glossy and it shouldn’t be at all runny. This will take between 11/2 and 2 hours.
Once the jam is cooking, the vital work is done. This jam keeps for ages in the refrigerator, so you can funnel it into jars, let it cool and then pop it in the back of the fridge. However, if fridge space is precious, it can also be canned in a boiling water bath canner for shelf stability. Here’s how that’s done.
When the jam is nearly done, prepare a boiling water bath and three pint jars (you can also use a combination of pint and half pint jars if you prefer). Place the lids in a small saucepan, cover them with water, and simmer over very low heat.
When the jam has cooked down sufficiently, remove the pot from the heat and ladle the jam into the prepared jars. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
Preserved in this manner, unopened jars of tomato jam will last up to two years. Kept in the fridge, it will keep for at least 6 months.
Comments
I made tomato jam last summer
We love tomato jam. It's
I had the hardest time
How long does it take aso. In
Other fruit jams I have made
We do not recommend using a
This jam is amazing! I've
Yes! It is SO good! We make
Can I double this recipe?
Technically, you probably
What kind of tomatoes and how
Just pick any flavorful, ripe
This jam is looking so yummy
I like Amy Tomato Jam recipe.
First time trying any kind of
I love this easy recipe. A
Do you need to peel the
Nope!
I love this jam! I've made it
If I am reading this
Yes--you can choose to either
I found this recipe a couple
Glad you like it Brenda!
Hello there! Can i use 12 oz
Hi Lynnie. The processing
I just made this. It came out
Yum! We just made a batch too
Great sounding recipe and
Absolutely!
I substitited brown sugar for
Thanks, Eve! Just saw this.
I followed the recipe,
Hmm...that's very odd. I've
I cooked my jam for 90
Yes, and be sure to bring it
I drain the tomatoes first
I have made this recipe a few
Glad you like it so much
Thanks so much I have a batch
Can I use Sure Jell for this
There is no need Jo. The
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