Spicy Tomato Jam
Makes 1 1/2 pints
I don’t normally use bottled citrus juice, but if you’re canning this you should use commercial bottled juice. It has a predictable, consistent acidity that ensures the safety and shelf-stability of the canned jam.
Ingredients #
- 3 1/2 pounds tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 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
Instructions #
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.