Homemade Tomato Jam

You say tomato, I say jam!
Tomato Jam

Tomato Jam

Tomato jam is the summer condiment likely missing from your table.

Photo by: Photo by Mick Telkamp

Photo by Mick Telkamp

Tomato jam is the summer condiment likely missing from your table.

Making jams and jellies from fresh fruit is one of the great joys of summer. Peach, strawberry and grape are always popular and we often put up a little jalapeno jelly when garden crops permit, but one of of our favorites often flies below the radar. Like many home gardeners, the most prolific crop in my garden is tomatoes and they get a lot of attention eaten raw, cooked into sauces, diced into salsa or canned whole for future use. This versatile fruit shows up on our table in all sorts of ways. But it may come as a surprise to some to learn that summer’s most successful crop also makes a spectacular jam.

Sweet and salty with a touch of heat (courtesy of red pepper flakes), tomato jam is often overlooked when preserving the harvest. Unlike most conventional jams, tomato jam requires no added pectin and instead of boiling it to a hard 220 degrees, tomatoes and sugar make their way to jammy goodness through a long, slow simmer. As the liquid cooks away over a period of hours, a thick, sweet and sticky consistency develops that works well with dishes both savory or sweet.

Tomato jam can be served on crusty bread, paired with cheese and crackers or used to glaze poultry. At our house, this unusual summer fare is most often used as a condiment that adds bright flavor to all that it touches, including hot dogs, burgers or turkey sandwiches. With a lot of sweet, a little heat and boundless tomato flavor, this beautiful jam belongs on the table no matter what’s for dinner.

Tomato Jam

Yield: About 2 pints

  • 2 1/2 pounds tomatoes
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup cider vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Wash and chop tomatoes.

Combine tomatoes, sugar, garlic, cider vinegar, lime juice, salt and pepper flakes in a large pot.

Bring to full boil, stirring.

Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 2 to 2 ½  hours until a jam-like consistency is reached. Jam should be sticky and most of the tomato chunks broken down.

Transfer jam into two sterilized pint jars or four half-pint jars.

Cap jars with new lids and sterile bands.

Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.

Store in cool location for up to one year. Once opened, store in refrigerator.

How to Make Tomato Jam
Loading Video...

Next Up

How to Can Spaghetti Sauce

Learn how to can homemade spaghetti sauce that will allow you to savor ripe summer tomatoes all year long.

How to Can Tomatoes

Canning tomatoes is a great, easy way to preserve the season's harvest so you'll have fresh tomatoes all year long. Learn how to can tomatoes with these simple steps for the water bath canning method.

How to Freeze Tomatoes From Your Garden

Extend your garden harvest by putting your tomatoes in the deep freeze.

Freezing Cherry Tomatoes

Keep fresh cherry tomato flavor on your meal-time menu well beyond the garden season by preserving excess fruits in the freezer.

Why Do Tomatoes Split?

When it comes to taste, homegrown tomatoes beat those hard, red supermarket orbs hands down. Learn why tomatoes crack and split and what to do about it.

How to Freeze Okra

Okra is a Southern favorite, thanks to its heat-loving disposition. Stock up on okra in season and freeze it for later use.

Freezing Cabbage

Scratch store-bought cabbage off your grocery list—and fill your freezer with homegrown cabbage instead.

Canning Peppers DIY

It's easy to pack a pint of pickled peppers.

7 Ways to Prevent Tomato and Potato Blight

Early and late blight can affect both tomato and potato plants. Learn how to protect your garden and keep these diseases at bay by following these prevention tips.

How to Ripen Green Tomatoes Indoors

Enjoy the fruits of your gardening labor by ripening green tomatoes indoors with these easy tips.

Go Shopping

Get product recommendations from HGTV editors, plus can’t-miss sales and deals.

On TV

Follow Us Everywhere

Join the party! Don't miss HGTV in your favorite social media feeds.