Tomato Preserves

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Summer in a jar! Sweet, tangy, and spiced just like my grandma’s tomato jam. Perfect on biscuits, with cheese, or alongside grilled meats.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Old-Fashioned Tomato Preserves, Tomato Jam, Tomato Preserves

Servings: cups

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

2½ pounds ripe tomatoes
1½ teaspoons lemon zest
1½ tablespoons lemon juice
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground allspice
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
1 box sure-jell the original yellow box
4½ cups granulated sugar 900 grams

Instructions

Jars & Canner Prep

Wash jars, lids, and rings in hot soapy water, then rinse well. Place jars upright on a baking sheet and keep warm in a 225°F oven until ready to use. You will need either 8 half-pint jars or 4 pint jars.
Place the flat lids in a small saucepan, cover with hot water, and keep them just below boiling on a back burner. Do not boil, as this can damage the sealing compound.
Fill your water bath canner with enough water to cover the jars by at least 1 inch. Place the canner rack inside and bring the water to a simmer while you prepare the preserves.

For the Preserves

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Prepare a large bowl with ice water.
Wash tomatoes and cut a shallow “X” in the bottom of each one.
Add tomatoes to the boiling water for 1 minute.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice-water bath to stop the cooking.
When cool enough to handle, peel off and discard the skins (the “X” helps the skins slip off easily).
Chop the peeled tomatoes and place them in a 6-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
As they cook, mash the tomatoes lightly with the back of a spoon to help them break down. They should soften into a junky, saucy mixture, with some liquid evaporated but still loose and spoonable.
Measure exactly 3 cups of the cooked tomatoes into a bowl (discard or save any extra for another use). Return the measured tomatoes to the cooking pot.
Stir in the lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, and the powdered Sure-Jell. Cook over high heat until the mixture comes to a boil.
Add the sugar, stirring continually. Bring the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. The preserves will still look loose and liquidy at this stage.

Filling the Jars

Take the pot off the heat and skim off any foam with a metal spoon.
Working with one jar at a time, remove a hot jar from the oven using tongs and place it on a saucer. Place a canning funnel in the jar and ladle in the hot preserves, leaving ¼-inch headspace.
Wipe the rim and threads of the jar with a damp paper towel to remove any spills. Place a hot lid on the jar and screw on the metal band until fingertip-tight (do not over-tighten).
Place the filled jar in the canner rack. Repeat with the remaining jars.

Processing the Preserves

When all jars are filled, carefully lower the rack into the boiling water in the canner. Make sure jars are covered by at least 1 inch of water. If needed, add more boiling water.
Once the water returns to a full rolling boil, start timing and process for 10 minutes, or adjust according to the altitude chart in the Sure-Jell instructions (e.g., add 5 minutes if above 3,000 feet).
Remove jars from the canner and place them on a towel in a draft-free area. Let them cool undisturbed for 24 hours.

Checking the Seal

After 24 hours, press the center of each lid. If it does not spring back, the jar is sealed. If a jar did not seal, refrigerate it and use within a few weeks.
For sealed jars, tighten the metal bands if needed and store in a cool, dry place for up to 1 year.

Notes

Keeping jars hot: Washed and rinsed jars can be kept in a 250°F oven until ready to fill. If sterilizing jars, hold them at this temperature for at least 20 minutes.

Peeling tomatoes: Blanching loosens the skins so they slide right off with a gentle rub.

Measuring tomatoes: Measure exactly 3 cups of cooked tomatoes. Reserve any extra for another use.

Pectin type: This recipe is tested for Sure-Jell’s original yellow box (regular pectin). Other types, like low-sugar or liquid pectin, require different sugar amounts and cooking times.

Full rolling boil: A full rolling boil occurs at 212°F and means the entire mixture is boiling rapidly and does not stop when stirred.

Handling hot jars: Remove jars from the oven carefully using tongs or a jar lifter.

Avoiding thermal shock: Never pour hot preserves into a cool or cold jar, as the sudden temperature change can cause cracking.

Using a pot without a rack: If your canner or pot lacks a rack, place a wire cooling rack in the bottom so jars don’t sit directly on the pot. This helps prevent cracking.

Skipping canning: If you prefer to skip the water-bath canning, ladle the hot preserves into clean jars, let cool, and refrigerate. Use within 3–4 weeks.

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