This tomato preserves recipe has such an intriguing flavor and is a great way to eat up your end-of-summer tomato crop. Tomato Preserves are sweet yet savory at the same time. The color is amazing and the whole tomatoes are so pretty. I think this recipe would be amazing to make with little cherry tomatoes. Tomato preserves are delightfully easy to make.
Tomato Preserves
This recipe makes 6 half-pints of Tomato Preserves.
Ingredients
Ingredients:
2 pounds peeled tomatoes (If you have questions about how to blanch tomatoes, take a look at our blanching tomatoes video.)
4 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Lemon Juice
3/4 Cups Water
1 Tbsp Pickling Spice
1 Tsp Ginger
1/2 Tsp Butter
Cooking Tomato Preserves:
Cook syrup then add tomatoes
Place spices in a spice bag.
Add spices to a large pot with sugar, lemon juice, and water. Simmer it for 15 minutes.
Cook until transparent
Add the whole tomatoes and cook until they are transparent.
Cover the pot and allow it to sit for 12 hours.
Remove tomatoes
Remove the spice bag and tomatoes and boil for 3 minutes to thicken.
Return the tomatoes to the sauce and bring them back to a boil.
Boil for 1 minute.
Equipment Preparation:
While your preserves are heating on the stove it is time to prepare your canning equipment.
Fill your boiling 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.
Fill Jars
Filling and Processing Jars of Tomato Preserves:
Using a jar funnel, 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 canner for 20 minutes if at sea level. Remember to adjust your processing time if you are above 1000 feet in elevation.
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.
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