Tomato Jam - Part 2

When we went to the pumpkin patch on Saturday, we visited the farm store.  One of the many things we found:  a bog box of end of season tomatoes.

Our garden woefully underproduced this year, especially on the tomatoes -- one of my favorite foods to put up the rest of the year - whether dried, or canned in sauce, or in my new recipe this year -- tomato jam!

We bought a box, and I started on the jame when we got home.

First, I found the recipe I used before.  I remember thinking the result was sweeter and more barbeque-y than I wanted.  I pulled up the recipe and I started tweaking.

I headed out to the garden for the last of our basil and rough chopped it for the jam.



  

I also claimed some of the garlic from our garden.   Even if the tomatoes weren't grown right here, at least the jam features a few things we grew ourselves.

After all of the chopping, I mixed in my trusty copper pot and brought it to a boil. 

I simmered the tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, vinegar, sugar and spices together for three hours.

And in the end, my reward: five jars (two of them large!) of a yummy, savory tomato jam!

Savory Tomato Jam

7 pounds of tomatoes

1 large onion, diced

2 teaspoons salt

3 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tart green apple, diced

1 Tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

1 small head garlic, coarsely chopped (3-5 medium sized cloves)

Put all ingredients in a 3 quart pot.  Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Cook until thickened, approximately three hours.  Transfer to sterilized jars, then use a hot water canning bath for long term storage.

Ideas for consumption:  on toast with eggs and bacon; on a bacon-lettuce-tomato sandwich, in place of the tomato; basically anything that involves bread and tomatoes....

(c) Lessons from Cooper