TOMATO MARMALADE

 

Over run with pear or cherry tomatoes? 

Make tomato marmalade.  

What does one do with tomato marmalade? Spread it on toasted herb bread, or place a dab atop a slice of goat cheese on a cracker, or use as a condiment for a beef sandwich.  So goood......

Tomato marmalade can be simple – tomatoes and sugar boiled together until thick.  Herbs, such as rosemary, oregano or thyme can be added, and will enhance the flavor.

The formula:

• For every pound of tomatoes, use a pound of sugar.
• For every pound of sugar, use ½ cup water.
• For every pound of tomatoes, use one bunch of herbs, ¼ cup or more, optional.
• Yield: 1 half-pint jar for every pint or .75 pounds of pear or cherry tomatoes.  
• One pint of tomatoes equals .75 pounds.
• One pound of sugar equals 2.25 cups.

TOMATO MARMALADE

Yield: 4 half-pint jars

Equipment:

Kettle for cooking marmalade

Canner with jar rack and lid

4 sterilized half-pint jars with lids and bands

Ladle

Jar lifter

Magnetized lid lifter

Small kettle for preparing hot lids

Ingredients

Herbs, optional

4 pints or 3 pounds pear or cherry tomatoes

3 pounds or 6.75 cups sugar

1 ½ cups water

Sherry vinegar or balsamic vinegar, optional

Method

• Wash tomatoes and remove stems.
• Remove dead leaves from herbs, wash.
• Put water, sugar and herbs (optional) into the kettle.
• Put kettle on medium heat and stir to keep sugar from sticking.
• Bring mixture to boil and boil for 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes.
• Leave lid off and do not stir.
• Allow mixture to simmer, without stirring. The liquid will become clear as the tomatoes begin to sweat out their juice.
• Cook until thick. Decreasing heat if necessary.
• When the mixture begins to carmelize – taking on a brownish color - add a splash of sherry vinegar and stir.
• Ladle hot marmalade into jars, leaving ½” head space.
• Wipe the rim with a clean damp cloth.
• Apply a hot lid and band.
• Using a jar lifter, put jars into a boiling water bath canner.
• Process in a boiling water bath: 10 minutes for half-pints.
• Using a jar lifter, remove jars from canner and place atop a towel in a draft free area.
• Listen for the ‘ping’ that indicates the jar is sealed.
• When cool, press on the center of the lid to check for a seal – lid will be concave and have no “give.”
• Remove band and reuse. 
• Wipe jar and store in pantry.

If you are new to canning or need a refresher, check out these articles on Sustainable Dakota Digest:

A Compendium of Useful and Important Information for Boiling Water Bath Canning

Home Canning: How to Get Started

First learned about tomato marmalade at Culiblog. Have been a fan ever since.