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Hearty Tomato Chutney
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andrea’s Favourite Tomato Chutney, From Nana

Course Side Dish
Author andrea bennett, author of Hearty: On Cooking, Eating, and Growing Food for Pleasure and Subsistence

Equipment

  • six hot, sterilized 500-millilitre (pint-size) mason jars and fresh canning lids
  • knife, cutting board, and peeler
  • large cooking pot
  • water bath canning pot, jar rack, and jar tongs
  • cheesecloth

Ingredients

  • 24 tomatoes I used San Marzano/Roma tomatoes
  • 6 apples peeled and chopped (I used Gala apples)
  • 5 medium white onions chopped
  • 1 bunch celery chopped finely
  • 2 green peppers chopped
  • 2 red peppers chopped
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon each of cloves ginger, cinnamon, turmeric, and dried mustard
  • 4 tablespoons mixed pickling spice tied up in a cheesecloth bundle
  • 2 teaspoons pickling salt

Instructions

  • Cut an X into the bottom of the tomatoes and place them into boiling water for one minute to remove skins. Then chop them into small pieces and place them in a colander over a bowl to drain. Chop onions and celery into fine pieces and place in the same colander. Sprinkle salt over mixture. Place colander and bowl in the fridge to drain overnight.
  • The next day, remove the contents from fridge, and after pressing lightly to remove excess fluid, pour the contents of the colander into a large cooking pot.
  • Chop green and red peppers and apples into small pieces and add to pot.
  • Stir in the rest of the ingredients, and mix well.
  • Place pot over medium heat until it reaches a gentle boil. Keep stirring until it is as thick as you want it— about two hours, the longer the thicker. You might have to lower the temperature to keep it at a gentle boil and not a full boil.
  • When done, remove the pickling spice bag.
  • While still hot, pour into sterilized jars, leaving half an inch of room at the top.
  • Can in a water bath.*

Notes

My nana’s recipe doesn’t give specifics, but you can treat this like you’re canning salsa. Put the lids onto the jars and screw until finger tight. Then submerge the jars in a large pot of water, fitted with a canning rack, that has been brought to a rolling boil. Ensure the jars are covered fully, with an inch of water above the tops of the jars. Place the lid on the pot and keep it at a boil for thirty minutes, then use tongs to remove the jars and place them on a tea towel. I leave them on the counter until I’m sure they’ve sealed properly—generally overnight. Sealed properly, they’ll keep in a cool, dark place for up to a year.