Tomato jam is one of my go-to methods for using up the bounty of late summer tomatoes. This year, I experimented with my existing recipe and came up with an easy and tasty variation.
My tried-and-true Roasted Tomato Jam is still a winning way to transform the tomato harvest into a sweet, tasty jam. In this summer’s research, I discovered a dump-everything-in-a-pot technique that’s less fussy. As I was musing on this new recipe, I decided on garam masala, the Indian spice blend of cinnamon, clove, cardamom, cumin and coriander (among others) for warm notes.
Subbing brown sugar for part of the white gave some backbone to the seasonings, but it did darken the end product. If you’re looking for jewel-like tones in your jam, you can always use all white sugar.
And because peppers come in at the same time as tomatoes, I tossed a bell pepper in the mix, too.
The result is more chunky chutney than jam, and that’s ok with me. It’s a fine spread for your morning toast. A bit of dairy, like a schmear of farmer’s cheese or goat cheese offers tang and creaminess to offset the sweet spicy jam. I can imagine mixing the jam with mustard and mayo to add a layer of flavor to your ham sandwich. I’m sure there’s lots of ways to go here.
Give this recipe a try and let me know what you think.
Tomato Jam with Garam Masala
Inspiration from Food52
3 ½ lbs. tomatoes, some can be green, peeled and chopped
1 onion, diced
1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, diced
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup cider vinegar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon garam masala
- An enamel-coated or non-stick Dutch oven works well for this recipe. You can also use any 2 quart pot.
- Place all ingredients, tomatoes through garam masala in the cooking pot over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar dissolves.
- Lower heat and keep mixture at a simmer for at least one hour and up to three hours, to reduce the mixture to a jammy texture. Stir often.
- Let jam cool, then store in jars and keep in the refrigerator.
- The jam lasts for a couple of weeks as a refrigerator jam. Any longer than that and I’d suggest freezing it. That’s why I make this fresh and give it away. It makes August special.
Perfectly Imperfect Recipes
My recipes are not tested outside of my kitchen. If you see a mistake or have a suggestion, please reach out. More about my Perfectly Imperfect recipes.
Join the Conversation
Let’s talk about gardening and more on Instagram and Facebook. Leave a comment on this story. I’d love to hear from you!
