Homemade Tomato Jam: A Recipe for Rich and Refreshing Flavor
Homemade Tomato Jam: A Recipe for Rich and Refreshing Flavor
How to Make Rich Tomato Jam from Ripe Tomatoes
This homemade tomato jam is a delightful departure from store-bought versions, offering an intensely pure tomato flavor. Spread it on toast for a burst of sweet and tangy tomato goodness that will brighten your mornings. Made with perfectly ripe, firm tomatoes, this jam is so delicious you’ll find it hard to resist. The process of making jam is a wonderful way to concentrate all the goodness and flavor of the tomatoes.
Ingredients- 10 ripe, firm tomatoes (approx. 1110g after preparation)
- 555g sugar (50% of tomato weight)
- 2-3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice (from fresh lemon or bottled)
- 1 tsp salt
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Begin by thoroughly washing the ripe tomatoes under cool running water. Fresh, quality ingredients are the foundation of great jam.
Step 2
Make a shallow cross-shaped score on the bottom of each tomato (opposite the stem end). This helps loosen the skins. Some tomatoes will peel easily with just this scoring, but for extra ease, we’ll blanch them in boiling water in the next steps.
Step 3
Fill a pot with plenty of water and bring it to a rolling boil over high heat. This step is crucial for easily removing the tomato skins.
Step 4
Once the water is boiling vigorously, carefully add the scored tomatoes. Let them tumble in the hot water for no more than 10 seconds – just enough to loosen the skins. I found about 5 seconds to be perfect. Over-boiling will make the tomatoes too soft for jam-making.
Step 5
Immediately transfer the blanched tomatoes from the boiling water into a bowl of ice-cold water. This rapid cooling, called ‘shocking,’ helps to separate the skin from the flesh.
Step 6
Once cooled, gently rub the tomatoes with your fingers. The skins should peel away effortlessly, almost like shedding a thin layer.
Step 7
Tomato skinning complete! Only the beautiful, soft flesh remains.
Step 8
Cut the peeled tomatoes into quarters. This prepares them for the jam-making process.
Step 9
Carefully cut away the tough stem end of each tomato quarter. This part can negatively impact the jam’s texture.
Step 10
Separate the fleshy part of the tomato from the seedy core. We’ll be using the flesh for the jam and discarding the seeds, as they can affect the jam’s texture and appearance.
Step 11
A note on seeds: Including tomato seeds can result in an undesirable texture and a less appealing visual. If you prefer to blend the entire tomato, including the seeds, you can achieve a smoother consistency. However, for this recipe, we’re focusing on separating the seeds for a better texture.
Step 12
Finely chop the tomato flesh. While you could blend it, having some small pieces of flesh remaining adds a wonderful texture to the jam. If you prefer more noticeable chunks, chop them a bit larger. If you want a smoother jam, you can blend this flesh now.
Step 13
From the seedy core, we’ll extract only the clear juice. This juice is packed with concentrated tomato flavor and will enrich the jam.
Step 14
Place the seedy tomato parts into a blender and process until smooth. The goal here is to extract as much juice as possible from the seeds and surrounding pulp.
Step 15
Strain the blended tomato mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth. This process separates the clear tomato juice from any remaining solids.
Step 16
Combine the strained tomato juice with the chopped tomato flesh you prepared earlier. Mixing the juice in will significantly deepen and enhance the tomato flavor of your jam – it’s a secret to maximizing that delicious tomato essence!
Step 17
After combining the chopped flesh and the extracted juice, I weighed the mixture, which came out to 1115g. This weight will be our guide for adding the sugar.
Step 18
Add sugar, aiming for about 50% of the total weight of the prepared tomatoes (flesh and juice). In this case, 555g of sugar was added to 1115g of tomatoes. You can adjust the sugar to your preference, but remember that adequate sugar content is important for preserving the jam.
Step 19
Stir the tomatoes and sugar together in the pot. You can let them sit for a bit to allow the sugar to start drawing moisture from the tomatoes.
Step 20
Now, let’s start cooking. Place the pot with the prepared tomatoes and sugar over high heat. Maintain high heat until the mixture comes to a boil. This ensures even heat distribution.
Step 21
Once the tomatoes begin to boil, reduce the heat slightly to medium-high. Jam making requires simmering to evaporate excess water and thicken the mixture. Be mindful that cooking at too high a heat can cause scorching. This stage might take some time.
Step 22
While the jam is simmering, add the lemon juice and salt. Freshly squeezed lemon juice is ideal, but bottled lemon juice works well too. If you don’t have lemon juice, a small amount of vinegar can be substituted. Lemon juice not only adds a pleasant tartness but also helps the jam set by aiding in pectin’s gelling process.
Step 23
As the jam cooks, skim off any foam that rises to the surface using a spoon. Removing this foam will result in a clearer, more refined jam appearance.
Step 24
When the jam has reduced by about one-third of its original volume and has started to thicken noticeably, lower the heat further to medium-low. From this point onwards, you need to be extra vigilant to prevent scorching.
Step 25
Continue cooking until the jam has reduced to about one-quarter of its original volume and begins to ‘spatter’ or bubble more actively, indicating it’s reaching jam consistency. Turn off the heat. Remember that jam will thicken considerably as it cools, so aim for a consistency that seems slightly runnier than you want the final product to be. If it’s too thick when hot, it might become too hard once cooled.
Step 26
Voilà! Your beautiful, homemade tomato jam is ready. While making jam seems simple as it mainly involves simmering, achieving the perfect consistency requires time and attention. However, after making it a few times, you’ll become a pro, easily recreating this delicious treat at home. Spoon the hot jam into sterilized jars, let them cool, and then store them in the refrigerator. Enjoy!
