Recipe · summer
Tomato Jam
A rich, slow-cooked balance of sweet, savoury, and tangy — spread it on a BLT, grilled cheese, a burger, or a charcuterie board.
Meal: preserveMain: tomatoHands-on: 150 min
Ingredients
- 4–5 quarts chopped Roma tomatoes (16–20 cups)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup white vinegar
Steps
- 1Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat (or a roasting pan in a 350°F oven).
- 2Cook 2–3+ hours, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, lowering heat as it thickens.
- 3It's ready when a spoon dragged through leaves a clear trail before the mixture slowly seeps back together.
- 4If canning, spoon hot jam into 1/2-pint jars, seal, and process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes from a full rolling boil.
Meet the plant
- TomatoThe loud, generous neighbour who shows up with more than you asked for.
Tips that help here
- Canning Once-Frozen TomatoesFrozen tomatoes can be canned after thawing — but the texture changes, so choose the right finished product and follow safe acidification.
- Water Deep, Not OftenShallow daily sips train roots to stay near the surface where it's hottest.
- Label the Lid, Not the JarA small habit that saves an hour every canning season.
More like this
- Roasted Tomato SauceCindy's favorite way to make tomato sauce — slow oven-roasting instead of stovetop simmering, for a richer flavour you won't go back from.
- Tomato JuiceUse the freshest, juiciest tomatoes for this — meaty varieties like Romas aren't the best choice here. Cindy's own shortcut: tomato powder and cold water make an instant glass any time of year.
- Canned Whole TomatoesThe classic hot-water-bath method for putting up whole tomatoes — plus the acid rules that keep it safe, since tomatoes sit right on the borderline between high- and low-acid foods.