Spicy Tomato Jam

Level: Moderate
Makes: Four 8-ounce jars
Nutrition Facts (per serving, 1 of 4): Calories 702, Total Fat 2g, Saturated Fat 0g, Carbs 177g, Fiber 11g, Sugar 159g, Protein 7g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 1977mg
Time Required: 1 hour 45 minutes
Prep Time: 35 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Transform your summer tomatoes into a bold, irresistible Spicy Tomato Jam that elevates any meal! This vibrant condiment bursts with zesty lemon, warm cumin, and a kick of heatperfect for glazing meats, topping cheeses, or spreading on toast. Dive in and create something unforgettable.

Ingredients:

4 large lemons
5 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, cored and chopped to 1-inch pieces
4 cups light muscovado sugar or firmly packed light brown sugar
4 teaspoons ground cumin
Kosher salt to taste
2 slightly heaping teaspoons red pepper flakes
4 small sticks cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
8 slices fresh ginger, peeled, 1/8-inch thick

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Instructions:

Begin by following basic canning instructions step by step. Properly sterilized jars and lids will preserve your canned foods safely for up to one year. Always start by ensuring your hands, equipment, and work surfaces are thoroughly clean. Jars should be glass and fully intact, free from any cracks or chips. For canning, glass, plastic, or metal lids with a rubber-like seal are suitable, though two-part metal lids are the most common choice. Before adding food, wash the jars with hot soapy water, rinse them thoroughly, then place them right-side up, without touching each other, on a tray. To sterilize, submerge jars in a large saucepan filled with water, bring to a boil, and let them boil for 10 minutes. Jars only need sterilization if the preserve will be processed for less than ten minutes in a boiling-water bath or pressure canner. Always sterilize your tongsdip their ends in boiling water for a few minutesbefore handling hot jars. Clean all utensils, towels, and especially your hands. Carefully follow all canning and processing instructions in your recipe and consult USDA home canning guidelines as needed for safety. Additional resources can be found at the National Center for Home Food Preservation (http://nchfp.uga.edu/).
With a vegetable peeler, carefully strip the zest off the lemons in wide ribbons, leaving behind the white pith. Juice the lemons through a strainer over a large, wide pot. Add in the lemon zest, tomatoes, sugar, cumin, 4 teaspoons salt, red pepper flakes, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and ginger pieces. Heat the mixture over medium-high, stirring now and then, until the tomatoes become juicy and the sugar is dissolved, about 15 to 20 minutes. Keep cooking, stirring from time to time, until the tomatoes turn dark and syrupy and a candy thermometer reads 220F, roughly 40 to 50 minutes (time may vary by tomato juiciness). Lower the heat if you notice the mixture beginning to stick or burn. Remove the cinnamon sticks once done. As the jam cooks, sterilize four 8-ounce canning jars with their lids.
Ladle the tomato jam into your jars, keeping a 1/4 inch space at the top, seal, and process according to standard canning procedure.

Courtesy: Recipe Iseasy Magazine