Annie & Skyler Along with autumn’s first frost, comes a big pile tomatoes finishing their ripening process inside (we can’t leave them out there to freeze, right?!). Although these late-season tomatoes mature just fine inside, they don’t have as much of the *YUM* factor as the vine-ripened beauties of the summer. So what to do with this “bonus” harvest? Jam out, of course!
Our epic tomato jam also takes advantage of the season’s fresh apple cider. It’s the perfect addition to fall tomatoes—or even grocery store tomatoes, if that’s all you have—giving them the sweetness and depth they may be lacking. We simmer down the tomatoes and cider with spicy chile peppers into sweet-savory jammy goodness. It’s incredible served with just about anything!
Here are a handful of the ways you can use this fall tomato jam but honestly, the possibilities are endless:
• Spoon onto a burger or chicken sandwich
• Drizzle over grilled pork chops or lamb chops
• Use as a glaze for ham or baby back ribs
• Top baked Brie or Camembert
• Spoon over cream cheese or goat cheese
• Add to a charcuterie board
• Use as a dip for egg rolls, lumpia, or spring rolls
Spicy Tomato-Cider Jam
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 lb. ripe tomatoes, cored and chopped
- 1 cup fresh apple cider
- 1½ cups natural cane sugar
- ¼ cup cider vinegar
- 3 to 5 red chile peppers, seeded and chopped
- 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
Instructions
- Combine tomatoes and cider in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half. Stir in peppers and sugar. Simmer, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, until reduced to about 4 cups, about 1 hour.
- Transfer jam to containers or jars and refrigerate up to 3 months or freeze up to 1 year. Or, to can the jam, fill clean hot half pint or pint jars with hot jam and process in boiling water canner 10 minutes.
