Home-canned tomatoes have been a family tradition for many generations. The process lets you enjoy the flavor of summer just a little bit longer.
Why Try? In the middle of the winter, you can use the tomatoes to make a fresh spaghetti sauce, lasagna, chili, or other tomato-based meals and enjoy that fresh garden taste.
If the jar doesn't seal during the canning process, simply put it in the refrigerator and use within a week.
Ingredients
- 10 pounds tomatoes (this will yield about 7 pints)
- Lemon juice (about 7 tablespoons) – bottled is fine
- Pickling salt
- Pint jars (either small mouth or wide mouth is fine)
- Lids and rings
- Water bath with rack
Preparation
- 1 Sterilize jars and seals.
- 2 Have two pots of boiling water and one bowl of ice water ready.
- 3 Put clean tomatoes in boiling water for 30-45 seconds, and then plunge them into ice water. The tomatoes will be easy to peel as a result.
- 4 Peel tomatoes and cut out cores or bad spots.
- 5 Put tomatoes in jars.
- 6 Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice per pint.
- 7 Add 1/4 teaspoon of pickling salt per pint.
- 8 Add boiling water to the jar leaving 1/4 inch of headroom. Remove air bubbles.
- 9 Wipe the rim of the jar, place sterilized seal on jar, and tighten the ring.
- 10 Place jars in water bath for 35 minutes (time depends on altitude – more time for higher altitudes).
- 11 Remove jars and let stand for at least 24 hours. Remove rings (optional) and store. If the jar did not seal, place it in refrigerator and use within a week.
