Canning Tomato Jam – A Substitute for Ketchup
Preserving tomatoes is a necessity, and so is this tomato jam recipe. Canning ketchup is an extremely long and slow process, however, canning tomato jam is a process which can be achieved in a shorter period of time. This ketchup substitute is delicious and a must have item for every pantry.
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Canning ketchup is overrated. The amount of time, effort, and quantity of tomatoes that goes into this preserving project is ridiculous! All this for a few pints? No, thank you! I’ll stick to this tomato jam recipe.
What if I were to tell you there’s something better than canning ketchup? Something much more delicious? Something which takes very little of your time and effort to make, and requires half of the tomatoes needed? A product which is amazing with, well, everything? Burgers, brats, fries, whatever your little heart desires!
What I am offering you is the opportunity to preserve tomatoes by canning tomato jam. This tomato jam recipe is ketchup-y sweet with a bit of ketchup like thickness. And it has a little little kick due to the crushed red peppers. It is everything you will ever want in a condiment.
Ketchup? Fa-get-about-it!
Again, forget about canning ketchup. Move your effort and energy into canning tomato relish jam. Go ahead, give it a try. You will not regret making the swap!
Before moving on to the recipe, let me ask you, are you tomato rich? Is your pantry filled with beautiful home canned tomato products? No? Well, let me help you out!
- Tomato Herbal Conserve
- Canned Whole Tomato with Basil and Garlic
- Home Canned Stewed Tomatoes
- Homemade Tomato Paste Made from Tomato Peels
Canning Tomato Jam
The process for making this tomato jam recipe is extremely easy, as a matter of fact, it is much like making any fruit jam.
Ingredients
This tomato jam recipe makes roughly 5-half pints. For larger batches double the recipe.
- 3 pound Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup Honey, or 2 cups organic granulated Sugar
- 1/4 cup bottled Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp freshly grated Ginger
- 2 tsp Red Pepper flakes
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground Cumin
- 1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 box powdered Pectin, optional
Canning Tomato Jam – Equipment
- Large non-reactive Pot
- Ladle
- Jar Funnel
- Air Bubble Remover
- 5 Half-pint
- Steam Canner or Hot Water Bath Canner
Canning Tomato Jam – Instructions
- In a large, heavy bottom pot (stainless steel or enamel Dutch oven) combine all ingredients.
- Bring to a boil, continuing to boil for 15 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture thickens, this process will take roughly 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
- For a less chunky jam, use an immersion blender to blend until desired consistency is met. If the mixture becomes too liquidy, continue to cook down until the desired consistency is once again met.
Tomato Jam Recipe
- Begin preparing jars, warming lids, and hot water bath or steam canner.
- Once the tomato jam has reached the desired consistency, remove from heat and begin filling hot jars. Make sure to leave a 1/4-inch headspace.
- Wipe rims, add warmed lids, and apply rings to finger tight.
- The processing time will depend on your altitude, see chart below.
- Allow jars to rest for 12 hours prior to making sure the lids have vacuum sealed. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use as quickly as possible.
Notes – Canning Tomato Jam
- How long this recipe takes to cook down will depend on the type of tomato being used. Selecting a meaty variety, such as Roma or Plum tomatoes, allows for a nice, thick product. Whereas selecting a heirloom tomato, such as the Brandy Wine, means more liquid and will take longer to cook down.
- The use of powdered pectin is optional. For a jam like consistency pectin is required.
| Type of Pack | Jar Size | 0 – 1,000 ft | 1,001 – 6,000 ft | above 6,001 ft |
| Half Pints or Pints | 5 mins | 10 mins | 15 mins |
My Book
For additional tip, trick, and recipes on how to preserve foods grab a copy of my book, The Farm Girl's Guide to Preserving the Harvest. Whether you are a novice or a seasoned home food preserver, this book has something for everyone. Learn how to can, ferment, dry, cure, freeze, and store raw the harvest as a sustainable homesteader would.
Copies of The Farm Girl's Guide to Preserving the Harvest can be purchased online at the following sites, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Target, Walmart, Books a Million, and on my website.
Printable Recipe Card – Canning Tomato Jam Recipe
To make things easier, enjoy this printable recipe card for your convenience!Canning Tomato Jam
Preserving tomatoes is a necessity, and so is this tomato jam recipe. Canning ketchup is an extremely long and slow process, however, canning tomato jam is a process which can be achieved in a shorter time. This ketchup substitute is delicious and an item to always have in the pantry.
Ingredients
- 3 pound Roma tomatoes,, chopped
- 1 1/2 cup Honey,, or 2 cups organic granulated Sugar
- 1/4 cup bottled Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Ginger,, freshly grated
- 2 tsp Red Pepper flakes,, more if desired
- 1 tsp Sea Salt
- 1/2 tsp ground Cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground Cumin
- 1/4 tsp Smoked Paprika
- 2 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 box powdered Pectin,, optional
Instructions
Tomato Jam Recipe
- In a large heavy bottom pot (stainless steel or enamel Dutch oven) combine all ingredients.
- Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer until the mixture thickens. Stirring often.
- Continue to cook on a low until liquid reduces. This process will take roughly 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
- For a less chunky jam, use an immersion blender to blend until desired consistency is met. If the mixture is too liquidy, continue to cook down once again until the desired consistency is met.
Canning Steps
- Begin preparing jars, warming lids, and hot water bath or steam canner.
- Once the tomato jam has reached the desired consistancy, remove from heat and begin filling jars. Make sure to leave a 1/4-inch headspace.
- Wipe rims, add warmed lids, and apply rings to finger tight.
- The processing time will depend on your altitude, see chart below.
- Allow jars to rest for 12 hours prior to makings sure the lids have vacuum sealed. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator and use as quickly as possible.
Notes
How long this recipe takes to cook down will depend on the type of tomato being used. Selecting a meaty variety, such as Roma or Plum tomatoes, allows for a nice, thick product. Whereas a heirloom tomato, such as the Brandy Wine, is less meaty and contains more liquid which will take longer to cook down.
The use of powdered pectin is optional. Those seeking a jam like consistency will need the assistance of pectin.
Equipment
Large non-reactive pot
Ladle
Jar Funnel
Air Bubble Remover
5 half-pint Mason Jars
Steam Canner or Hot Water Bath Canner
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
5Serving Size:
1 gramsAmount Per Serving: Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Tomato jam is a great option to canning ketchup. This tomato jam recipe partners great with anything which requires the use of ketchup.
Just made this today! It is so yummy and not too spicy. I used sugar instead of honey, and followed all of the other instructions. I doubled the recipe and cooked it for approximately 2 1/4 hours. I also used the optional pectin so it would set up nicely. I ended up with 3 half pints, and the rest I jarred into twelve 4 oz jars. It makes a perfect gift paired with a small cheese board or dish with a tiny decorative cheese spatula. The 4 oz jar is the perfect size to pour over the top of a block of cream cheese, and served with a pretty cracker. Thank you for the great recipe – it’s a good way to use up some of the millions of tomatoes our garden is still producing this year!