It’s not just green tomatoes that you end up with a glut of. In a good year you can find that you’ve enough ripe tomatoes to stock a shop! Use this recipe to take up some of the surplus.
Ingredients for Tomato Chutney:
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) ripe tomatoes
- 1½ lb (675 g) cooking apples
- 1 oz (28 g) salt
- 1½ pints (900 ml) vinegar
- 3 cloves garlic
- 2 oz (56 g) mixed pickling spice
- 2 teaspoonfuls ground ginger
- 6 oz (170 g) brown sugar
Method for Tomato Chutney:
- Skin and slice the tomatoes, Peel, core and slice the apples.
- Put into a pan with the salt, vinegar, ground ginger and sugar. Add the pickling spice and garlic tied in a piece of muslin.
- Bring to the boil and then cook until thick.
- Pot into clean, hot, sterilized jars and seal whilst still hot.
- Label with contents when fully cooled.
Makes about 4 lbs (1.8 kg) Tomato Chutney.
For More Information on Making Chutneys & Preserves
Chutneys - How to Make Chutney
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Hi there,
Can I just mention that in the method for the tomato chutney it does’nt say about when to add the brown sugar, I should have figured it out but not till it was too late.
Can I also ask if the chutney should taste souly of vinegar or does it get better tasting the longer you leave it, or do you think I might not have boiled for long enough, please help!
regards Nina
Thanks for pointing out that I hadn’t said when to add the sugar. I’ve amended the recipe. I wouldn’t give up on it just yet – a big advantage to all chutneys is that they improve with age and you’ll loose the predominant taste of the vinegar. If properly stored it should remain in good condition for years and it’s best to give it at least 3 months to mature before eating. It’s the storage that really matters and making certain that the covers have no metal in them as the vinegar will corrode it. Use plastic screw or snap-on type or plastic preserving skin.
Hi Val,
Where is the best place to buy the jars from? I’ve never ever made anything like this before, but my Mum gave me some tomato plants, and I have shed loads of them now!!
I’ve also located a tomato soup I’m going to try, but love the idea of your chutney.
Thanks.
Have a look at Lakeland through the Allotment Shop at the top. They do a wide range of preserving equipment.
I made this on Monday – with some lovely plum tomatoes – yum yum I thought – then I tasted it – is there a misprint with regards to the amount of salt? 2oz seems an awful lot of salt which unfortunately was reflected in the taste. Never mind – will try again – and leave out the salt this time until the end.
It’s really a matter of taste and how acidic the tomatoes are. Some toms require more salt than others.
made tomato chutney yesterday think i might have put a little too much vinger as it as it dosent look thick enough is ther any thing i can do and where is the best place to store them
Tip it back our the jars, return to the pan and bring back to the boil and then simmer until it thickens up. Don’t forget to thoroughly wash the jars and re-sterilise before returning the chutney to them.. The vinegar taste should subside after about 3 months. It’s always as well to keep chutneys that long anyway to allow the full flavour to mature.
ive had a go for the first time ever to make your tomato chutney and followed the recipe to the letter. iv’e let it boil and simmer fer a few hours and it still hasn’t thickened up, tis more like thin sauce than chutney.were may i have gone wrong.
I’m not certain where you went wrong but you can always tip it back out of the pots into a pan and simmer for a bit longer. If this doesn’t work, add some cornflour mixed with a little water and it should solve it. Don’t forget to thoroughly wash and re-sterilize the pots you have used before returning the chutney to them.
I have just joined your site and think that its brilliant! I bought the book ‘easy jams, chutneys and preserves and have made the ‘blackberry slump’. It was delicious, i ate it cold, even though it was still good, i think i’ll have it hot.
I’ve just made the ‘Tomato Chutney’ recipe and had to re heat it as moisture was inside the lids, i did 4 pots the first attempt and 3 on the next! Could you tell me how long approximately it takes and how thick it has to be please? its my first attempt at making Chutneys and i don’t want it to put me off making any more.
Yours advice is very welcome.
Kindest regards
Linda (Ives)
Tip it back out of the jars and bring back to the boil and then simmer until you can drag the spoon across and see the bottom of the pan for a second or too before the mix closes up again. Do remember to thoroughly wash and re-sterilise the jars before putting the chutney back in. If you still have problems, you can always add some cornflour mized with a little water to thicken the mixture. Tomato Chutney can take a long time (well over an hour) because of the high water content.
I made this recipe for the first time today and like another member have found it incredibly salty. I realise now I should have waited and added it nearer the end, a bit at a time. Rather than discard the whole lot, d’you think if I make another batch with no salt, and then combine the two this would work? Seems a shame to abandon it.
I also found this chutney too salty so I’m adding a tablespoonful to tomato sauces that I make – gives it quite a zing. Will reduce the salt by half with the next batch.
Hi Val, I have tried many of your Recipes with much success, but have always shied away from the Tomato Chutney because it says firstly to “skin the tomatoes”. However this year I have a real glut of tomatoes and will really have to give it a go. Is it really necessary to skin the tomatoes? I have grown a small variety and even in 4lbs there seem to be hundreds. It will take me forever and so I wondered if I could get away with leaving the skins on. What do you think?
If they’re small toms, put them through a blender and this will chop the skin really fine and you can use them. Large ones really need to be dunked in boiling water and then the skin will come off easily. If you’re not bothered about a lot of skin in your chutney, try the larger ones just chopped. I never bother with removing the seeds.
just found your site. How happy am i. I am just off to try the tomato chutney recipe. Can I add chillies? (mild ones)
Yes – add as many chiillies as you like!!!!!!!
Found your site early last year – this is a great recipe – all I can say to your other “1st timers” is give it a go – my first batch wasn’t to clever, because I’d never ever tried anything like it before – but now, 9 months later, my chutney ( and Jam ) is in demand – my frozen glut of tomatoes is being used up – got tasty chutney all the time, and the personal satisfaction of making it is great – it’s true what they say about leaving it alone for 3 months, the matured stuff is FAB – thanks Val – really useful site. Love it.
Try freezing your toms first, skins just slid of when partially defrosted. Good luck.
Just made this and agree with previous ‘posters’ – leave out the salt or at least add to your taste at the end, I have hardly any palate left after tasting. Suppose I’ll have to try and reheat with more sugar… I used cherry tomatoes with the skins and lifted the skins from the pot as they came away in the cooking, bit laborious but worked.
Hi just made this and I must say its realy salty
Hi, where is the best place to store chutney, had put it outside in the garage but now its getting frosty I am not sop sure, many thanks,
claire
Have just been given a load of cooking apples and green tomatoes. Would I be able to do this recipe with green rather than red tomatoes?
Hi
I made chutney a few weeks ago and it has been maturing since. It is too lumpy though and looks a bit more like tomato soup than chutney. I know you have said that you can tip it back into the pan and reduce it more but I wonder if this is still OK after a few weeks?
I don’t really want to throw it away as its made with veg from my garden. I knew it was too saucy when I put it into the jars but didn’t have time to keep reducing and thought my batch last year was too thick so jarred it up anyway.
Thanks
If the jars were properly sterilized and sealed, you should still be able to get away with it. Don’t forget that you’ll need to thoroughly wash and re-sterilize the jars before you put the chutney back in again.
great. Thank you
Asda sell jars idea for chutney or jam and only cost £2 for three.
I also made this and found it was also hard to set so am going to take it back out the jars and boil again, and far to much vinegar for me, I think I wil half the amount of vinegar next time, would it still work if I did so.? I do love your recipes and have done a lot of them, this is the only one so far that has gone a bit wrong. x
@Vonny: If you want a lot of jars you can get them from ebay, it works out 50p a jar if you buy a box of so many. That’s what I have done 🙂
Just looked at your ripe tomato chutney recipe. Could you tell me if it’s malt or white vinegar that you have to use, thanks
I use malt but you could use white if you wanted.
I dropped the ginger in the chutney and now it has a very strong taste of ginger. Is there a away I can neutralize it down a bit so it is not so strong?
Have just made 10 jars of tomato and 7 of your beetroot chutney, had a lovely day and the kitchen smelt great. A large pot of tomato soup is waiting for tonights meal too. Thanks for the great recipes.
I have never bought a jar in my life, but I always keep my old ones ready for the jam or chutney. I find my friends can often give me some. The ones with plastic lids are best, but the metal ones are OK if you use sellophane and rubber bands first.
I’m just making some more now. Have got some jars off neighbours – asked lots of people before I’ve got any though.
It probably pays to ask neighbours throughout the year though for jars.
I’m considering bribing a few with jars of jam though but am worried that will just lose me the jar.
Maybe I should print the labels with a message about returning the jars to me 🙂
Hi I’ve just made the chutney & whilst it is delish it is rather vinegary!! I made it last year & it was lovely & have followed the ingredients again to the letter so I don’t know why this is! Can you please tell me how I can neutralise the vinegar taste? Thank you
can you leave the pickling spices in the tomato chutney as I do not have a muslin bag ?
@Val:
Hi I have the small variety and they are green still and I can’t see me getting the skins off that easy – so do I cook the chutney and then press through a sieve? Lesley
I have followed the recipe and found it too salty is there anything a can do to save the batch rather than to throw it to the worms.
Can you use green tomotoes which have not ripened at the end of the season?