I first tried tomato jam about 6 years ago. As suggested by a friend, my family tried it as a condiment for our omelets. Immediately, our household and friends became tomato jam converts. It’s amazing on egg dishes, omelets, fried egg sandwiches and on top of deviled eggs. I am sure it would work great with cheese or used as a basting sauce for meat. I haven’t tried this jam with anything else because my supply is always used on eggs. Let me correct my last statement, yes I’ve tried this jam on pizza and calzones. It was awful. I believe the savory and sweet combination is not right for Italian dishes. I suggest you stick with this being an egg type of jam.
My version of this recipe stems from 6 years of altering and combining other’s recipes with my own spice blend preferences. My latest version with balsamic vinegar is the best. By now, I’d say this classifies as my own recipe.
One of the best things about this recipe is that you don’t need to peel your tomatoes. This is a time saver, especially when you have an abundant supply and need to process the tomatoes soon. I love recipes when I don’t have to peel vegetables or fruits.
I hope you try this recipe and if you’re like me, you’ll probably make a few changes. If so, please post and share your recipe variations along with your favorite uses for tomato jam.
This is a savory tomato jam with layers of flavor from spice to balsamic vinegar. A perfect condiment for all of your egg dishes. You'll be a jam lover after one taste on an omelet or fried egg sandwich.
- 5 1/2 pounds tomatoes (Romas are preferred)
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 10 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 or more tsp red chili flakes (use more if you like spicy)
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Wash tomatoes. Cut off ends and stems.
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Chop your tomatoes.
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Add tomatoes and rest of ingredients to large, non-reactive pot.
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Bring to boil and stir regularly.
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Once at a boil, lower heat and bring to a simmer. Stir frequently and scrape bottom of your pot to avoid burning. Simmer until mixture is at jam consistency. I prefer a low simmer to reduce burning. With a low simmer, it takes me about 2 hours to bring mixture to a jam thickness.
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While your jam is simmering, sterilize your half-pint jars.
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Skim off any foam at the top after your jam reaches your desired consistency.
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Remove from heat and fill your hot and sterilized jars. Leave 1/4 inch head space. Apply your lids and process in a water boil canner for 20 minutes.
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Remove jars and allow to cool. Test your seals and store in a cool and dark area.