I'm is particularly fond of the butters because they are sweet but still savory. My favorite way to eat Honey Tomato Butter is to pile it on fresh bread.
This Honey Tomato Butter is a delicious spread that makes you remember your childhood science class that taught you that tomatoes are indeed fruits. Fresh, juicy tomatoes are combined with spices and honey into a delicious spread that is somehow both sweet and savory at once.
Honey Tomato Butter
This recipe makes 4 half-pints of Honey Tomato Butter.
Ingredients:
5 pounds quartered Tomatoes
2 cups Sugar
1 cup Honey
1 tsp ground Ginger
1/4 tsp Allspice
2 tsp Cinnamon
Cooking Honey Tomato Butter:
soften tomatoes
Soften the quartered tomatoes by simmering for about 20 minutes.
Process the soft tomatoes through a food mill or a blender if you prefer to keep the seeds and skins. Then place the pulp in a strainer (I like my husband’s honey strainer.) or cheesecloth to drain out the juice. Save the juice to be canned later. This step of straining the sauce allows you to skip the reducing down process which usually takes about 2 hours to do. If for some reason the sauce seems too thick you can add some of the juice back in.
combine all ingredients
Place the strained pulp in a large saucepot and add the rest of the ingredients.
Continue to simmer until it is your desired thickness.
Equipment Preparation:
While your butter is simmering on the stove it is time to prepare your canning equipment.
Prepare and heat your jars.
Place a small saucepan on the stove on simmer and insert your lids to soften the seals.
Fill your water bath canner half full with water and place it on the stove on low to begin heating. Do not let it get too hot, just warm it up.
Gather your ladle, jar lifter, lid lifter, chopsticks, clean cloth, and any other needed supplies for canning.
Filling and Processing Jars of Honey Tomato Butter:
fill jars
Fill the jars leaving 1/4-inch headspace.
Use a chopstick to remove any air bubbles.
If you spilled on the edge or rim of the jar, use a clean cloth to wipe the rim clean.
Place the lid on top of the jar and add the ring. Tighten the ring to fingertip tight.
Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes if at sea level. Remember to adjust your processing time if you are above 1000 feet in elevation.
processing complete
Once your jars have completed processing, use the jar lifter to remove them from the boiling water bath canner. Space the jars about an inch apart on the counter for 24 hours to cool and completely seal.
If your jar did not seal, then place it in the refrigerator and use it immediately.
Store the sealed jars in your pantry to enjoy for the next 1-3 years. After three years the nutritional value of canned food diminishes. The quality is best during the first year.
Helpful Videos:
