Easy Homemade Tomato Jam (No Peeling Required)
Sweet, savory, and packed with fresh tomato flavor, this easy homemade tomato jam requires no peeling and is perfect for burgers, sandwiches, cheese boards, appetizers, and homemade gifts.
Servings: 13 ounces, approx
Calories: 58kcal
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds fresh tomatoes about 3-4 medium-size tomatoes
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar,
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 3 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoons ground coriander
- 2 whole cloves
- small pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, finishing touch at the end after removing the jam from the heat
Instructions
- Prep the tomatoes: Wash the tomatoes, remove the cores, and chop them into roughly ½-inch pieces. There's no need to peel them. I tested this recipe with both peeled and unpeeled tomatoes and found that the skins soften beautifully during the long simmer, saving a considerable amount of prep time.
- Combine the ingredients: Place the chopped tomatoes in a medium saucepan. Add the sugar, apple cider vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, grated ginger, kosher salt, ground coriander, Worcestershire sauce, black pepper, whole cloves, and a small pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Stir everything together until well combined.
- Bring to a simmer: Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer—you should see consistent bubbling, but the mixture shouldn't boil vigorously. Stir occasionally at first, then more frequently as the jam begins to reduce.
- Cook until thick and glossy: Continue simmering uncovered until most of the liquid has evaporated and the jam becomes thick and glossy. Don't rely on the clock. Trust the texture instead. The cooking time depends almost entirely on how juicy your tomatoes are. Roma tomatoes may be ready in about 45 minutes. Large, ripe Beefsteak tomatoes can easily take 75 to 85 minutes or even a little longer.Instead, watch for these signs: The tomatoes have broken down significantly, the bubbles become slower and thicker, the jam looks glossy rather than watery, dragging a spoon across the bottom of the pan leaves a trail that slowly fills back in
- Finish the jam: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Fish out and discard the whole cloves. Stir in 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar for a final burst of brightness. If you prefer a smoother consistency, use a potato masher for a rustic texture or pulse an immersion blender one or two times for a smoother jam.
- Cool and store: Allow the jam to cool completely before transferring it to clean jars or airtight containers. Refrigerate until ready to use. The jam will continue to thicken as it chills.
Notes
- Use the ripest tomatoes you can find for the best flavor.
- Chop the tomatoes into evenly sized pieces so they cook down at the same rate.
- Resist the urge to turn up the heat too high. A steady simmer develops better flavor and helps prevent scorching.
- Stir more frequently during the last 15 to 20 minutes of cooking as the sugars become more concentrated.
- If your tomatoes are especially juicy, don't be surprised if the jam takes much longer than the recipe time. Trust the texture, not the clock.
- Tomato jam thickens considerably as it cools, so avoid overcooking it when trying to achieve a firm jelly consistency.
- Store it in smaller jars, so you only open what you'll use within a week or two.
Nutrition
Calories: 58kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.04g | Sodium: 367mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 446IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.2mg
