Green Tomato Jam

Photo by Rachel Amiralian

A sweet-and-sour jam spiced with cinnamon, star anise and ginger, sweetened with local honey, this is an easy way to enjoy your green tomatoes well into the winter months. Delicious on buttered toast or as a chutney with ham, turkey or duck.

Makes about 3 cups

2 pounds green tomatoes, quartered 
1½ cups cane sugar
1½ cups apple cider vinegar
½ cup chopped, peeled ginger 
1 cup local honey
2 whole star anise
sea salt to taste

Bring vinegar and sugar to a boil in a saucepan large enough to hold the tomatoes. Add the star anise and chopped ginger. 

Reduce over medium heat until a light syrup is formed, and the bubbles begin to move slower and grow bigger before popping. This step is important because it will ensure a thicker, “jammier” final product. 

Once a syrup has formed, after the mixture has been reduced to about ¼ of its original volume, remove the star anise and add the green tomatoes. Continue to cook over medium heat until the tomatoes have started to break down, but have not completely lost their structure. 

Add the honey and continue to reduce, looking again for large, slow forming bubbles that indicate the water content is less than the sugar content. Keep in mind that when the jam cools, it will stiffen up. 

After about 20 minutes, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool before transferring to storage jars. Once the jam has cooled enough to taste, season with salt to your liking. Seasoning at the end will prevent you from over-seasoning during the cooking process. 

Store in the refrigerator.

This recipe appeared as an online exclusive in October 2019 as part of a larger story on Green Tomatoes.