At the beginning of the summer I found myself in an awful place y'all...without my bestfriend and no Green Tomato Jam for comfort!
This weekend, I had to let my childhood bestie and co-writer, Rebekah Faubion, move to LA to pursue screenwriting. Here we are at Texas Book Fest with my literary agent, Dennis, and prolific Texas author, John De Mers.
T'was a simpler time. (Le sigh)
Rebekah worked on my cookbook, taught me to write, and has essentially been my drinkin' buddy from tea parties to Tito's.
On her final Sunday Funday, surrounded by friends and family, we descended upon our favorite park for pizza, watermelon, and heartfelt companionship.
Times they are a changing and we're all moving forward. I love new beginnings, but why do they have to sting so much?
I sat chatting with Rebekah's mother in law, nibbling pizza crust, as she told me about her life traveling the world as a missionary, growing up in the rural south, and finally her favorite comfort foods.
COMFORT FOOD IS SOMETHING I COULD REALLY GET INTO RIGHT NOW, I pouted.
As she explained, freshly-hulled purple peas, and green tomato jam with homemade cornbread was her End all. Be all. Cure-it-all.
I was feeling pretty beat up, so I reckoned it was worth a shot.
I hit up the Coppell Farmer's Market the following Saturday and scored everything on my list including the ingredients to make this fine, Green Tomato Jam recipe.
HOT DANG! It is delicious and goes on everything!
I had to meddle with the recipe to get it just right, removing a bit of a sugar, and adding some allspice and ginger for more three dimensional flavor, but I still can't believe the stuff isn't everywhere... Two weeks later, I slipped Rebekah's mother in law her own little jar after church, and she rewarded me with a squeal of delight!
This green tomato jam certainly won't cure a broken heart, but it will remind you to slow down and enjoy the easy things in life. Like friendship, and quiet Sunday evenings eating fresh watermelon with the ones you love. 🙂
Enjoy this Green Tomato Jam with a slice of hot buttered cornbread or a bowl of black-eyed peas. We find it's tasty with everything from cornmeal battered catfish to buttered cabbage.
If you make this recipe for Green Tomato Jam, TAG @UrbanCowgirl on Instagram
I'd love to see how it turns out! 🙂
Green Tomato Jam
Ingredients
- 52 green tomatoes 3-4 lbs
- 28 oz. sugar by weight
- 1 large lemon zest and juice
- 1 t. cinnamon or more if you like
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger minced
- 1/4 t. allspice
- salt to taste
- 3 pint jars for canning plus an 8oz. jar for the refrigerator.
Instructions
- If you're going to can this recipe, sterilize the jars according to standard procedure.
- Rough chop the green tomatoes and ginger, just so they will fit into a food processor or blender. Process or blend into a puree.
- Pour the puree and sugar into a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the lemon zest and juice, cinnamon, and allspice and salt well.
- Bring to a low boil, and simmer steadily for 30 min to an hour. It should be thick and the flavor should be well blended. Season to taste with salt and lemon juice. Add additional spices, if you like.
- The jam is now done. If you prefer to can, take the mixture to 220 degrees and ladle into sterile jars. Wipe rims clean, and place lids and rings on the jars. Place in hot water, making sure the jars are fully covered and process for 10 minutes.
- Remove and place on countertop... you may hear a pop as they seal. Tighten the seals after cooling. Any jars that do not seal need to be used immediately and kept in the refrigerator.
- Give to friends and family! Enjoy!
Nutrition
Kirstie says
Love seeing this kind of home-cooking advice. The practical advice on the sweet-tart flavor is excellent. Saving those notes for cooking day.
Hope says
I made green tomato I guess it’s am followed the recipe to the letter I had about 75 tomatoes I cooked them down I didn’t purée all of them so some of the chunks are still in there I canned them in 8oz jars I got 26 jars and a half one that I put in the fridge I processed the others in a hot water bath they all sealed. My question is should this jam be soft and like an applesauce consistency did I do some thing wrong.
Sarah Penrod says
Yeah, it's spreadable like apple butter but has a bit more chunks because of the nature of green tomatoes.
Dona says
Wondering if you filter out the seeds after pureeing?
Sarah Penrod says
I do not. They looks pretty in the final jam!
Laura Gerrow says
Made two batches one as jam and one I didn’t thicken as much was like a sauce. Well I tried it and taste just like apple sauce. Gave some out to friends and they loved it, one had a daughter that was allergic to apples when she was younger and this would have been great to have! Both ways were a hit.
Sarah Penrod says
That's great news Laura! Thanks for sharing.
Jean Alderson says
I loved this recipe only had a kilo of tomatoes so halved it came out perfect ,set well taste great and so easy and quick well make again thanks, did increase the fresh ginger, got 4 small pots
Sarah Penrod says
We are so glad to hear you enjoy this recipe and thanks for your tips! 🙂 Chef Sarah
Michael Sheridan says
How many cups is 3-4 pounds of tomatoes? Hard to figure out
pounds with different size tomatoes.
Sarah Penrod says
Hi Michael, I just purchase 52 green tomatoes from my farmer's market and it's between 3 and 4 pounds. The recipe always comes out perfectly. I have never measured by cups for canning.
Joan says
@Sarah Penrod,
Are you using cherry tomatoes? 52 seems like A HUGE amount and certainly far more than 3pounds.
Sarah Penrod says
The green tomatoes I bought for this recipe were about the size of clementine oranges. Always go by weight, I just wanted to be able to give the reader an idea of how many I was using if they didn't own a kitchen scale. Happy Cooking!!
Lynn says
@Joan, I found that 10 tomatoes = just over 4lbs, I am going to go by weight not the amount. Even my cherry tomatoes weighed more. Excited to try this and fingers crossed it works by weight
Sarah Penrod says
Yes, we go by weight! I just put the number of tomatoes on the recipe card because if I don't someone will get upset because they don't have a scale. I always weigh the fruit when I make jam. Less chance of it not setting. Good luck!!!
Tiffany says
Can you use a combination of red and green tomatoes? I brought home a bunch of tomatoes from my dad's garden and need to use the ripe ones up too.
Sarah Penrod says
I think that you can but the green tomatoes are more tart, so give it a final taste before jarring to make sure it's balanced. Should be fine!! Happy Cooking 🙂
Bonnie says
This turned out fantastic! I was using my Vitamix to puree, and it turned the first few tomatoes into green juice, so I used a lower setting for the rest of them so I'd have some chunks and seeds. I did not have allspice so I left it out, and I didn't have fresh ginger so I used ground. I add 1/4 tsp hot pepper flakes for a little kick, and I added 4 tbsp of extra lemon juice. I had to remove a lot of foam, but the end product was wonderful. It came out a golden color, and was sweet and lemony. I reduced it quite a bit, over and hour, so I only got 5 half pints, but it is set and delicious!
Evi McGrath says
Wow! Phenomenal! Just cooked it for the first time and tried it on a cracker with cream cheese. Never knew that green tomatoes could be so good!
I wasn't sure if my jam would stiffen up and didn't want to overcook it, so I added some pectin (the quantity for 3 pounds of fruit for 6 pounds of tomatoes) and the jam has a nice, soft consistency.
Greetings from the Netherlands,
Evi
Sarah Penrod says
Hi Evi! So glad to connect with someone in the Netherlands. We're happy our jam recipe made it that far across the earth! 🙂 - Chef Sarah
Karen says
Regarding the allspice ... do you use whole or ground ?
Thank you.
Sarah Penrod says
Ground! Happy Cooking!
Carolyn OBayley says
This sounds so good. And, I have lots of green San Marzanos. Here is my question. We are not fans of ginger. Any substitutes? What if I just leave it out? Thank you for a very interesting recipe. (and I've looked at loads of them)
Sarah Penrod says
I would just leave it out! - Sarah
Maxine Domorod says
I am making this jam today for the first time ever will post again later how it turned out and how it tastes
Annie says
I did make this but....two things....it took much much longer to get the purée to jam consistency (2 hour simmer) before putting into jars AND if you add the allspice and or cinnamon, it ruins the pretty green color....its still vERY yummy mind you...and will be perfect for a charcuterie board on a thin slice of dubliner cheese.....(I also threw in a sliced jalapeño and left it in there while simmering for only about 15 mins....whoooooo weee!.....
Sarah Penrod says
Thanks for the tips Annie! Glad it turned out good for you! 🙂
Helen says
Oh my goodness, this is DEVINE!! Thank you for this gorgeous recipe...we LOVE it!
Sarah Penrod says
I'm so happy to hear that you love it as much as we do! 🙂
Elizabeth says
Could you freeze this jam, instead of canning?
Sarah Penrod says
Like an icebox jam? Sure you could. It won't last as long. Freezer jams last 4-6 months until they start getting freezer burn, but you certainly can freeze it. Happy cooking! - Sarah
Jayne C Bahrenburg says
I never had green tomato jam before, but it sounded like a good use for the almost 3 lbs. pre-frost yet unripe tomatoes still on my vines. Adjusting ingredients for my smaller quantity and subbing in powdered ginger (no fresh on hand), it was not only good, but excellent! On cornbread yes, but maybe also an accompaniment to ham? Can't wait to try it with cream cheese on townhouse crackers. Thank you for another outstanding recipe!
Sarah Penrod says
Using this on ham never occurred to me but you're right! That would be delish and unconventional! I'll have to try that out for the holidays. 🙂
Jennifer Accardi says
Any thoughts on whether or not substituting a pound of tomatoes with hot peppers would be a tasty and viable addition?
Sarah Penrod says
Did you try this? I think that would be fine because you would still include some green tomatoes. It might be a little more like red pepper jelly but I LOVE pepper jelly too.
debbie roland says
Im going to add some hot peppers to a batch. It will be like hot pepper jelly.
Dereck Penrod says
This jam makes basically 4 pints. If you're a little shy of filling the last jar, just keep it in the refrigerator as your first jar and process the others. Favorite jam with cream cheese and crackers on a cheese board!
KATIE GORDON says
Approximately, how many oz of jam does this recipe yield? It sounds delicious and I can't wait to make some!!
The Urban Cowgirl says
Hi Katie! I think this recipe makes between 7-8 cups depending on how much you reduce it. I filled 3 16 oz. jam jars, 1 8 oz. jar for my friend's MIL, and had half a jar leftover that I did not process, but kept in the fridge. If you just use measurements by weight, you should have excellent success. Also, don't be afraid to season to taste at the end with more cinnamon or allspice. Tag me on social if you make it! I'd LOVE to see. 🙂