Sweet and Tangy Tomato Jam Made with Honey
A homemade fruit jam made by simmering blanched ripe tomatoes gently with honey and lemon juice.
Translated from Korean by AI and not yet checked by a native speaker. Amounts and numbers are taken directly from the original recipe. Read the Korean original →
This fruit jam uses plenty of honey instead of sugar to bring out a gentle sweetness and lovely gloss in ripe tomatoes. Peeled tomatoes are simmered down gently and finished with a generous splash of lemon juice for a refreshing, rich flavor. The texture firms up further as it cools, so it is best to take it off the heat while it still seems slightly runny.
- Servings
- about 8–10 servings
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spiciness
- Not spicy
Ingredients
- Ripe tomato1.2 kg
- Honey500 g (2 cups)
- Salt1/2 tsp
- Lemon juice5 tbsp
- Use 8 washed, medium ripe tomatoes (1.2 kg).
- You can use sugar instead of honey.
Steps
Prepare the tomatoes
Cut out the stems of the tomatoes and score a cross on top.
Peel the tomatoes
Add the tomatoes to boiling water, and as time passes, the skins will begin to peel back where you scored them.
Blanch for about 1 minute and take them out.
Be careful when taking them out because they are hot; the heat makes the skins slide off on their own.
Since this has to cook down using only the tomato juices, chopping them finely will help them break down quickly as they simmer.
Simmer
Put the tomatoes in a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil.
Once they cook a bit, all the moisture will release from the tomatoes and the volume will increase.
Skim off the foam that rises to the surface, cover with a lid, and simmer so the tomatoes break down quickly.
There is plenty of moisture, so you only need to stir occasionally to prevent burning.
Reduce the liquid
Once reduced by more than half, the consistency becomes quite thick, so stir more often. Mash any remaining large chunks into the pot...
Add honey and reduce
Add all 2 cups of honey and season with 1/2 tsp salt to maximize the sweetness.
The honey will make the consistency somewhat thinner.
However, because sugar has been added, it reduces faster than before, turning a vibrant color and taking on a glossy sheen.
Add 4 tbsp lemon juice, which provides a sterilizing effect and a refreshing flavor, and reduce for 5 more minutes.
Drop a little jam into cold water; if it holds its shape without spreading, it is done.
Finish
This is completely cooled. The color is truly lovely.
If the jam is thick right when you finish, it can harden even more as it cools or chills in the refrigerator, so stop cooking when it still feels slightly runny.
This is after transferring it to a jar and letting it sit in the refrigerator for a day.
Since it was not blended in a mixer, the occasional visible bits are charming, and the texture turned out just like store-bought jam.
Ppunwife's tips
- Making jam takes a long time and requires checking in between, so making it alongside another dish will keep it from feeling tedious and make it more efficient.
- Drop a little jam into cold water; if it holds its shape without spreading, it is done.
- If the jam is thick right when you finish, it can harden even more as it cools or chills in the refrigerator, so stop cooking when it still feels slightly runny.
FAQ
Can I use sugar instead of honey?
Yes, you can substitute an equal amount of sugar for the honey.
How do I check for the right jam consistency?
When you drop a bit of jam into cold water and it holds its shape without dispersing, it is properly finished.
It looks runny right after cooking. Should I reduce it more?
It will firm up significantly once taken off the heat and cooled or refrigerated, so it is best to finish while it still feels somewhat runny during cooking.
