This honey sweetened tomato jam takes my classic tomato jam recipe and gives it a naturally sweetened makeover. It’s just as delicious as the original.
Every since it first appeared on this blog, my friend Amy’s recipe for tomato jam has been one of the most popular things I’ve ever posted. The original post has hundreds of comments and nearly every time I teach a class or do a book event, someone comes up to me raving about the wonders of tomato jam.
It’s one of my favorite things as well. I smear it on turkey burgers, serve it with goat cheese, and use it as a dipping sauce for roasted sweet potatoes. Essentially, it’s a very fancy, chunky ketchup-substitute that can be used in all manner of both sweet and savory applications.
All summer long, I’ve been pulling out the sugar in many of my favorite recipes and dropping in honey instead. This recipe is the latest to undergo the conversion and I think it might be the most successful swap to date. The slightly honey flavor pairs beautifully with the tomatoes. The spices continue to sing and the yield is comparable to the sugared version.
Truly, the only difference I’ve noticed is that this honey sweetened version isn’t as glossy as its counterpart. Happily, the sheen is the only thing that’s missing. The flavor is absolutely there.
A couple of things to note. The length of time this jam can spend cooking varies widely. Stay close to the stove, stir regularly, and use a stainless steel pan in case it scorches. Towards the end of cooking, you should be stirring near constantly. You know this jam is finished when there’s no visible water separating out from the fruit. You’ll also hear a slightly sizzling noise as you stir towards the end of cooking. That’s a sign that the sugars have concentrated and that the temperature in the pan is elevated beyond the boiling point of water. When you hear that, you are mere moments away from completion. Keep stirring for a moment or two longer and then pull the pan off the heat.
Honey-Sweetened Tomato Jam
Ingredients
- 5 pounds tomatoes finely chopped
- 2 1/2 cups honey
- 1/2 cup bottled lime juice
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a low, wide, non-reactive pot (stainless steel is best, because if you experience any scorching or burning, you can scrub it easily). Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce temperature to medium high.
- Stirring regularly, cook the jam at a low boil until it reduces to a sticky, jammy mess. This takes anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, depending on the heat of your stove, the width of your pan, and the water content of your tomatoes.
- Towards the end of cooking, as the jam begins to thicken, reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir. This jam has a tendency to burn at the very end of cooking time, as the sugars concentrate and the temperature level in the pan increase.
- When you’re 15 or 20 minutes out from the jam being finished, prepare a boiling water bath canner and 6 or 7 half pint jars (the yield will be between 5 and 7 half pints). Place lids in a small pan of water and bring to a bare simmer.
- Once the jam is thick and there is no visible water separating out from the fruit, it is done. Remove the pan from the heat and stir for 2 to 3 minutes. This helps evaporate out the last of the water and will give you a better set when the jam cools.
- Funnel jam into prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.
- When time is up, remove jars and place them on a folded kitchen towel to cool. When jars are fully cool, remove rings and test seals. Sealed jars are shelf stable. Any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.
This sounds amazing, especially since I try to avoid sugar! Question though, I don’t see honey listed in the recipe… Are we supposed to replace the sugar with it?
Oops! My fingers typed sugar even though my brain said honey. It’s fixed now. So sorry about that.
This looks interesting as my husband loves ketchup variations but gee, it makes a lot! And 2.5 cups of honey is… expensive… especially to try something I’m not sure we’ll like. Is it possible to half this recipe without compromising ph and canning safety?
Yep, you can cut it in half without any issue.
Christina, I have a micro batch on the stove right now (half a pound of cherry tomatoes – it was soooo fun reducing the recipe to 1/10!), and it used 1/4 C of honey. I’m not going to process it, just refrigerate and use it soon. Maybe try a one-pound batch until you know if you like it. Oh, and it is cooking up very quickly in a 10″ skillet. Half an hour, and it’s almost done.
The first recipe of yours I ever made is tomato jam. I enjoy it on steaks or with brie, but it wasn’t such a huge hit with my friends. It’s definitely an acquired taste.
I love this jam! Can’t wait to try the honey variation. It makes a wonderful barbeque sauce, sometimes I doctor it up, we prefer a more vinegary sauce. Beware, it does scorch.
Thank you!!!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I have stopped eating cane sugar and have been looking for recipes that use honey, maple syrup, etc. to use for canning, because I love canning. I really appreciate your sharing this and I can’t wait to try it. I love tomato jam!
Thank you!!! I LOVE tomato jam, preserves, etc… it’s something of a nostalgia thing for me, as my grandmother used to make tomato preserves when I was growing up and I loved them so very much… hadn’t had any probably since I was a teen (yes, over 30 yrs… :P) lol… until I was recently at an organic farmer’s market and discovered a small-batch maker of various jams… they had a spicy tomato jam and it was AMAZING!!!
I’m really looking forward to trying to make my own (especially since the little 6 or 7 oz jar that I bought cost me $7… lol)
Anyway, thank you again!
OH this sounds perfect and talk about perfect timing!! My next door neighbor just told me I could have the remainder of her tomatoes! I still need to put up more sauce but this will be perfect in helping me to start using up the copious amounts of honey I have on hand! Thank you!
Try cooking your tomatoes for 30-45 minutes before you put the rest of the ingredients in the pan….you will still meld all of the flavors instead of cooking them all out….I agree that lime is the way to go with tomato jam….
Marisa, would it be possible to do this in the crock pot on high, then at the end transfer to a pot on the stove and med boil for a while if it needed?
You could certainly give it a try. I’ve not done it that way, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work!
Thanks Marisa so much~!!! Reason being, we use propane for our stove (we live on top of a Mountain) and 2 hours of cooking uses alot of propane! I’ll let you know how it turns out…….It would also be a time saver in the long run. ~~Laurie~~ 🙂 Also ,approx how many tomatoes in 5 Pounds~????
Tomatoes come in so many different sizes, so that’s not really a question I can answer. I typically get 12 to 14 cups of chopped tomatoes, though.
Hi, I’m planning to make this recipe soon and wondered if you had ever tried using agave nectar instead of honey.
I’ve not done it with agave, but I imagine it would work!
Sounds great! Can the recipe be doubled? Do you peel the tomatoes?
I don’t recommend doubling the recipe, because it will take far longer to cook. And no peeling required.
How about using a crockpot to reduce your chances of scorching. I am trying this as I make pear butter and it is easy breezy no worries of it burning.
You could do the initial cook-down in a crock pot, but eventually you’d need to move it to the stovetop in order to get the heat necessary to thicken it.
Just found your blog and I love it! I just posted on my blog about my adventures with concord grapes; I thought you might like it:
http://homecookingeveryday.com/blog/2013/9/24/concord-grape-harvest
Steph
I really want to make this! Looks like I will be hitting the produce stand this weekend- already have the honey thanks to affordable Amish prices!
Oh my! I can’t wait to try out this jam. My sister turned me on to your blog when I wanted to start canning. your Vanilla Strawberry Jam was a real gateway recipe into my new obsession.
What kind of tomatoes do you suggest? Or does it matter? I am assuming that the 1/2 cup of bottled lime juice takes care of the PH for this recipe.
You’ll get a higher yield with meatier tomatoes. But I’ve made it with heirloom slicers, sungolds, romas, and paste tomatoes and it’s always good.
Marisa, do you think its save to add chopped onion (shallots) to the recipe? I did that before in another tomato jam recipe, but I stored it in the fridge and didnt canned it.
thanks for the recipe!
If you want to process it for shelf stability, I’d keep the onions out.
I think I’ll try this today with maple syrup instead of honey. It will probably need more cooking time to evaporate the more liquid consistency, but maple syrup is our sweetener, here in the woods.
This is seriously the most delicious recipe I have ever canned. Thank you!
So glad that you like it!
Thank you for this recipe–I made it and it is delicious!! Can I reduce the amount of honey and still be safe? It is really sweet and I think it will still be just as delicious with a less honey.
There is no safety issue with reducing the set. However, it can alter the set of the jam.
Thank you. I did reduce the honey on my second batch, but I went back to the recipe as stated for my third batch which I made last night. I love this stuff!! I do have one more question for you. My finished jars have air pockets in them. I read your post about air bubbles and only time will tell if these become active bubbles, right now they are just air pockets. I could not figure out a way to bubble these jars because my final product was so thick. Did I perhaps cook the jam too long? Should it be a little runnier so that it will settle in the jars without leaving open spaces? How do you eliminate air pockets when you are canning something so thick? And finally, is the jam still fine for long term storage with the air pockets? Thanks again for your help.
Honestly, you don’t need to worry about those air pockets. The reason we bubble jars is to prevent product loss during processing. If you get through processing without product loss, you no longer need to worry about the air pockets. The only way they’ll turn into active bubbles is if the jam suddenly starts to ferment. That is very unlikely given the length of the processing time. All is well. Enjoy the jam.
Thanks again for this recipe Marisa. I’ve made it with sugar and now with honey and both are just delicious. One of my favorites!
I have a pot on the stove without salt because the recipe doesn’t specify fine or course sea salt. Any input welcome. Hope to hear back before it’s done, but if I don’t I’ll toss a coin! Thanks.
I used Diamond Crystal kosher salt for this one.
I LOVE tomato jam/preserves and have been looking for a recipe! Can you use dry ginger instead? Thank you!
You certainly can, though the flavor won’t be quite the same.
I buy a ginger root and keep it wrapped in plastic wrap and place that in a freezer bag in the freezer to use whenever I need some grated ginger. I’ve used it for months (and up to a year)!
Hands down, the most delicious thing ever. The kitchen smelled great for days, and I can’t stop eating this stuff with toasts and cheese. Thanks!
Is Lakewood Organic Lime juice OK for hot water bath canning? I cannot find anywhere on the bottle that it states 5% acidity. If it is not ok to use can i store my jars in the fridge?
The 5% acidity only applies to vinegars, not to lemon or lime juice.
I tried this recipe. It tasted amazing but only gave me about a pint of jam.??? Any reason why or how this could happen. I followed the recipe perfectly
I am really surprised that you started with 5 pounds of tomatoes and only yielded a pint of jam. Maybe they were incredibly watery tomatoes?
I have been making tomato jam for years, and I always use maple syrup. It is a natural antioxidant, and compliments the tomato acidity well. I add fresh thyme toward the end, then add caramelized onion and sherry vinegar for a little kick. Maple syrup is the way to go. Honey, although lovely, can tend to mask some of the tomatoe’s natural flavors.
The problem with maple syrup is that it’s actually quite low in acid and so can push the acidity of tomato jam into an unsafe range.
As a Federal employee while on furlough, I tried this and made some adjustments. I used only 1 cup of honey, used fresh lime and lime zest, mixed everything together and covered it with Saran wrap for about 4 hours. Then I cooked it and it was phenomenal!! I made so much that I put them in jars and gave away for Christmas! I saved a few for myself, but I still have to take it easy due to type I diabetes. It’s good with the honey because it almost preserves the flavor. Thanks for type he recipe!
Marisa, I was wondering if this recipe could be made with the Jam and Jelly machine? I just purchased a new machine and have been looking for jam and jelly recipes to use in it. Thanks for you response. Virginia
I don’t think it would work in a jam and jelly machine because this requires a long cook-down process, which you just don’t get with a machine. There’s no way you’d get to a satisfying consistency.
It worked! It worked!
I had 1 1/2 tired tomatoes weighing in just under a pound. So I cut everything back proportionately and kept the stove heat moderate. 45 minutes later — TOMATO JAM!! Not going to water process since it produced only about 1/2 cup.
Because I’m going to share this with a spice-averse 8-yr-old, I skipped the pepper flakes. So it’s a little one-note — I don’t care — it’s like the best ketchup ever!
Can I use fresh lime juice instead of bottled? I’m sorry if you’ve already addressed this question. Alternately, can I substitute fresh (or bottled) lemon juice? Sounds like the recipe is perfect as written I’ll need to find some decent bottled lime juice. Thanks!
You need to use the bottled product because it’s serving as added acid, it’s not just there for flavor. Read this post for more info: https://foodinjars.com/2010/09/canning-101-why-recipes-call-for-bottled-lemon-juice/
Oops, sorry, I should have dug deeper on your site before asking the question. Thanks for response!
I just read the explanation. Can bottle lemon and lime juices be used interchangeably? Obviously, there is the flavor to consider. Thanks.
Yes, bottled lemon and lime juices can be used interchangeably. They have comparable acid levels.
I was just looking at the Tomato Jam recipe (the version with sugar) in the Food in Jars cookbook and realized it calls for fresh lime juice? Does using sugar vs honey change the recommendation for fresh vs bottle lime/lemon juice? I did my 1st batch with fresh juice and put them in the refrigerator after reading the comments here. Just want to make sure I have the right method before making more. Thanks in advance!
Lorri, the best practice when writing recipes that are using lemon or lime juice for acidification is to use bottled juice because of its consistent acidity (no matter the sweetener). The original tomato jam recipe dates back to a time before I was fully aware of that practice. However, that recipe also happens to contains more than double the amount of lime juice necessary for safety, so I feel entirely comfortable using fresh instead of bottled. Even if the fresh lime juice you used contains a bit less acid than bottled, the sheer volume makes up for any difference. So there’s no need to keep those jars refrigerated. They are perfectly safe for shelf storage.
Thanks you! The tomato jam is so yummy – I can’t wait to make more 🙂
I made a half batch of this yesterday and today had some spread on a grilled cheddar cheese sandwich for lunch. Divine!
Oh man that sounds amazing!! I can’t wait to try that!
I’ve been wanting to make this recipe since I found this site, and before all the homegrown tomatoes were gone for the season. Yesterday was that day. This jam is even better than I imagined! Sweet, hot, thick, and syrupy all in one. (I used ‘Very Hot Crushed Red Pepper from Penzey’s) because that’s what my family likes.) De-licious! This will probably become part of my Christmas gifts this year. The MO homegrown tomatoes were thick and meaty; not many seeds. It did take two hours but the kitchen is my favorite room in the house anyway. I loved watching the fruit change in texture. My yield was 5 (1/2 pint jars).
I made the Tomato Jam recipe this weekend — amazing! I’ll try this honey version soon. But, I wanted to ask, why does this recipe call for 1/2″ of headspace and the sugar-sweetened version for 1/4″ of headspace?
Thanks for all your great tips and recipes!
Caroline, the differential in headspace comes from the fact that I wrote these recipes at different times. I tend to opt for 1/2 inch of headspace these days, because it is an easier mark to hit. Truly though, the headspace can be anywhere between 1/2 and 1/4 inch.
Making this jam now and it smells amazing! I was thrilled to find a recipe that used honey instead of sugar. Can’t wait to “wow” my guests with this sweet, spicy concoction with some salty cheese this fall! Yum!
can this recipe be safely divided in half, I don’t have quite enough tomatoes to make a full batch.
Made this jam today. It smelled so good cooking! Can’t wait to try it. It made 4 pints ( 6 jelly jars and a 1 pint )
after walking back out to my garden to round up a few more tomatoes I had just enough to make a full batch of this wonderful creation of Jam..My very first try at canning jam..There are so many options a person can do with this Jam..Mixed with a portion of hellman’s mayo makes a nice spread or combined with goat’s cheese or cream cheese makes a nice dip, it can be used as a glaze on salmon, pork roast, or chicken, I decided to put some in my steamed rice with red pepper..Oh, the jam came out good..
Love this! Can this be frozen instead of canned?
Sure.
So I have been looking for a recipe that does not require the amount of sugar that my ‘Ball’ book stated I needed to use… just comes out WAY to sweet and I end up throwing it out! Especially with tomato’s from the garden that are already vine ripened and are supper sweet themselves! Even still, only used about half the called for honey, and also substituted maple syrup instead since I am low on honey – and it is still pretty sweet!
I also went off the recipe a bit, did not have pepper flakes, so used a hot sauce in the fridge instead – also added the vinegar element that I wanted due to using fresh lime zest and juice – and about a tablespoon of tequila! Which the alcohol is simmered off, but the taste!!! I used a really cheap tequila – which is what I usually use for my margarita chicken – cheaper the better – has a really strong taste to it, which makes it poor for drinking, but the flavors meld into what ever you are cooking – and this tomato jam is defiantly no exception!
Finally, I only got one pint out of my recipe – but that may also be due to the fact that I only had about 1 1/2 cups to 2 cups of tomato’s going in – but really wanted to try this version a try, and very glad that I did.
Would it be ok to put this in the blender wither before your start cooking it or after you are done cooking it (before you can it…) to make a smoother seedless texture?
I don’t suggest pureeing at the start of cooking, because it won’t cook down well. You could puree it at the end, though I’ve not done that so I can’t say exactly how it will turn out.
It definitely didn’t need blending. I was thinking it would be like salsa and retain the chunks.
One additional question…should the finish product be set like a jam or a bit loose like a salsa? I cooked it down for 2.5 hours, and it seemed like I got all the water out but perhaps not.
If it didn’t set, is it ok to shelve or does it need to be refrigerated?
I made this last night. DELICIOUS! It took quite a while for the tomatoes to cook down – and made the house smell wonderful!
I just finished making this recipe and used the ingredients as listed. I had 5.5 lbs. of gorgeous heirlooms (went to the local Farmer’s Market this morning). They were not watery. It smelled enticing while cooking… and I’m confident it simmered the right amount of time until it became jammy.
In the end it yielded 3 half pints (plus about 2 T).
I’m disappointed that it didn’t make the minimum stated in the recipe —> 5 And now I have 3 expensive-to-make jars.
What do you think the problem is…. or where might I have gone wrong?
Heirlooms are not the best choice for a recipe like this. Their water content is much higher than paste or roma tomatoes and so they will always lead to smaller yields. As you can see in the pictures, I did not use heirlooms.
When I made the batch I had a printed copy of the recipe, not the advantage of referring to a photo. Maybe it would help others to suggest paste or roma within the recipe…..?
Hi Marissa,
I am the European canning neophyte who came to your class in Princeton last week. Following the class, I made this honey sweetened tomato jam of yours: fantastic! Tried it with goat cheese, which was great and can’t wait to put it on some burgers.
I went through the entire “American canning process” and must say that it was very rewarding, especially the part when you test the seals.
Thanks for the great recipe and class. Next on my list: pear chocolate jam.
Best,
Christine
Why, oh why, did I not make this sooner in the season?! I only had enough end of season tomatoes for a half batch and it’s SO good that I know it will be gone before Thanksgiving. Adding this to the “make more” side of my canning list for next year!
I made this last summer with my homegrown tomatoes. It turned out great. It took quite awhile to cook down so it would be great if the crockpot method worked. I gave a couple of jars as gifts for Christmas but kept the majority for us. This is a very versatile condiment. I think our favorite use is for oven roasted sweet potato fries which we eat fairly often. I love the spicy flavor.
I made this tomato jam today for the second time (first time was a year ago and we all loved it!) I used local plum tomatoes. I noticed that the skins separate from the meaty part of the tomato. Is it okay to leave the skins in the jam, or should I be trying to fish them out (not easy!)? Thanks!!!
Like Mike, 26th post, I only ended up with a pint of jam. I did not alter the recipe at all. I weighed out 5 lbs of home grown cherry and roma tomatoes on my own scale. Is this always a result of watery tomatoes? Should I not have used cherry tomatoes? Otherwise – delish! Thanks!
The watery the tomato, the less yield you will have. I am really surprised that you only got a pint out of five pounds of tomatoes, though. That’s a really short yield.
are some tomatoes better for this jam than others? Nancy
You’ll get a higher yield with meatier tomatoes like romas. But any tomato will work.
Not good to boil honey. Just saying. I’ll add the honey at the end. Thanks for sharing.
This is an old wives tale. Nothing bad happens when you boil honey. You need it in this recipe at the beginning, because heating it helps the jam thicken.
This came out a little spicy, will it mellow over time? Also can you freeze it?
It should mellow over time. And you can freeze it, though it does better when canned rather than frozen.
What would be the amount of sugar instead of honey??
This is the sugar sweetened recipe. https://foodinjars.com/2010/09/tomato-jam/
What are the nutrients found in this jam and the shelf life? Thanks
Jams typically keep well for 12-18 months while on the shelf. Because there’s no refined sugar in this one, it will darken slightly in appearance over time. As far as nutrients go, I’ve read that tomatoes increase in nutritional availability when cooked. Beyond that, I really don’t know.
Really good. Thanks. In my next batch do you think I could finely chop in the food processor?
Sure. It just might be a little splashier when it cooks down.
Peel the tomatoes or not?
Do not peel the tomatoes. The jam actually needs their texture!
I just made this for the first time with the last of our local tomatoes and it is absolutely delicious! I also used it as the glaze on your recipe for Glazed Mini-Turkey Meatloaves from The Food in Jars Kitchen, as you suggested. Wow. That is the best turkey meatloaf ever! THANK YOU!
I’m so glad you like it!
Could I use bottled lemon juice rather than bottled lime juice?
Yes.
Shouldn’t the tomatoes be peeled and deseeded first?
No. In this case, it’s so much better with the skin and seeds.
I tried this recipe and 4 1/2 hours later it still is cooking down. Yea I followed the directions. Yes I used all the ingredients as is. It smells delicious but the 2 hour time frame just isn’t working for me.
I’m sorry to hear that it isn’t working well for you. It really does need to boil pretty vigorously.
Marissa;
Even tho it took longer it was delicious and I put it in the mini jars and will be given as gifts. It was an awesome recipe thank you for sharing it.😋