1948 Tomato Preserves Recipes

TOMATO PRESERVES

Steps:

• Slice an x in the top of each tomato. Place in a pot of boiling water until skin begins to peel off. Immediately place in a bowl of ice water. Slough off skin and remove stem button.
• Weigh tomatoes and place in a non reactive bowl (plastic or glass). Gently squeeze tomatoes by hand or with a wooden spoon to release juice. Add an equal weight of sugar. Let stand for 12 hours.
• When ready to cook, place two metal teaspoons in the freezer.
• Drain juice into a large sauce pan. Boil until the syrup thickens and falls of a spoon in heavy drops. Approximately 20 minutes.
• Rough chop the tomatoes and add to the thickened syrup. Grate the lemon zest and add to the syrup. Cut lemon in half and squeeze juice into the syrup. Add the ginger or cinnamon.
• Boil mixture until thick for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• To test for doneness, remove one spoon from the freezer. With the spoon you used to stir the preserves remove a small amount of jam and pour into the frozen spoon. Tilt the frozen spoon over the pot, if the preserves pour off in large thick drops it is done. If it pours off quickly, boil for another few minutes and retest with the other frozen spoon.
• Remove ginger or cinnamon. Put preserves in sterilized jars and boil in a water bath canner for 20 minutes.

AUNT DELLA'S TOMATO PRESERVES

Steps:

• Put tomatoes, sugar, sliced lemon and cinnamon in large, heavy pot and bring to slow boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. When foam rises to surface, add butter and continue stirring and simmering until preserves thicken, about 45 minutes. (To test, stick a fork into preserves. When preserves cling to tines of fork, it should be thick enough to can.) Pour preserves into sterilized jars, seal and process in hot water bath for 15 minutes.

HOMEMADE TOMATO PRESERVES

Steps:

• 1. Scaled, peel and crush 7 cups of ripe tomatoes. Combine crushed tomatoes (do not drain off liquid or seeds) and SureJell over mediumj high heat. Bring to a boil that cannot be stirred down.
• 2. Add sugar all at once, stirring constantly: boil at a hard boil for 12-15 minutes. Pour into sterilized jars, cap and rim jars.
• 3. Process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes after water comes to a rolling boil. Remove from heat and tighten rims. Let cool. Be sure to listen for the pop as the jars seal.

TOMATO PRESERVES

Steps:

• In a 3- to 4-quart pan, combine tomatoes, brown sugar, vinegar, lemon, ginger, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
• Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced to 2 cups and has the consistency of thick jam, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

TOMATO PRESERVES

Steps:

• Wash and drain tomatoes.
• Do not core tomatoes.
• Tie spices and gingerroot in a spice bag.
• Combine spice bag, sugar, lemon and water in a large saucepot.
• Simmer 15 minutes.
• Add tomatoes; cook gently until tomatoes become transparent, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.
• Remove from heat.
• Cover and let stand 12 to 18 hours in a cool place.
• Remove spice bag.
• Remove tomatoes and lemon from syrup.
• Boil syrup 2 to 3 minutes or longer to thicken.
• Return tomatoes and lemon to syrup; boil 1 minute.
• Remove from heat.
• Skim foam if necessary.
• Ladle hot preserves into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
• Adjust two-piece caps.
• Process 20 minutes in a boiling-water canner.
• Yield: about 6 half-pints.

1948: TOMATO PRESERVES

Steps:

• 1. Select slightly underripe tomatoes, preferably the small, pear-shaped ones. Core the tomatoes, then skin them by cutting a shallow X in their rounded end and dipping them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Peel. If the tomatoes are large, slice them in half across the middle and remove their seeds. Weigh the tomatoes, then measure the sugar and spices. 2. Layer the tomatoes and sugar in a deep, heavy saucepan (enameled cast iron works best). Cover and let stand overnight - no need to refrigerate. 3. The next day, tie the spices in cheesecloth. Add the spice bag to the tomatoes along with the sliced lemon. Place over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have become slightly translucent and the syrup is thick and begins to gel. Don't boil the syrup, or the tomatoes will fall apart. If the tomatoes finish first, remove them from the pan and reduce the syrup over medium-high heat. Remove the spice bag. Meanwhile, sterilize enough jars to accommodate the amount of preserves. 4. Fill the jars ¾ full with tomatoes and lemons (or save the lemons to eat separately), and cover the tomatoes with syrup. Seal, using your preferred canning method: paraffin or processing.