Mock Raspberry Jam
(Green Tomato Jelly/Refrigerator)
Southern depression-era cooks longed for the taste of raspberries were scarce. So they improvised.
Ingredients:
5 cups finely chopped green tomatoes
4 c. sugar
6 ounces (2 small packages) raspberry Jell-O
Directions:
Measure tomatoes into a large saucepan.
Add sugar and bring to a boil over medium heat; let cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Skim foam from the top and discard.
Add the Jell-O, and stir well so the mixture doesn't stick to the pan. Bring to a low boil, and boil for 1 minute.
Pour into sterilized jars or plastic containers, and cover tightly. Let cool before refrigerating.
Keeps in refrigerator about 3 weeks. Makes 4-6 half-pint jars.
(Originally in Jams & Jellies in 30 Minutes by Pamela Bennett)
I loved making this and thinking about my sisters who lived through the depression. But this is a great use of green tomatoes. I found that the jam kept a lot longer than 3 weeks in the fridge. Would be a fun gift for visiting teaching sisters.
I really liked this. It's a fun "guess the ingredient" kind of recipe. Unless you tell, no one will be able to guess that it is made of green tomatoes. And like any jam, I'll bet this freezes well too. So, you could make a double or triple batch and freeze some so that you could have homemade jam during the winter. Yum!
ReplyDeleteI just made this, and I love it! I had read elsewhere that they thought 6 cups tomatoes and 6 cups sugar was too much, and they only used 2 cups sugar. So what I did here was 2 1/2 cups tomatoes and 1 1/2 cups sugar. It turned out fantastic!
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you liked this. We thought it was surprisingly good. It is definitely a fun and different way to use up your green tomatoes!
ReplyDelete