Preserving Food: Canning Tomatoes
- Audrey L Elder
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Simple step by step instructions for canning tomatoes.
Making your own tomato sauce, canned diced or whole tomatoes is simple but does take some work. The reward, however, is worth it!
1.      Start with fresh but ripe rinsed tomatoes. You can ripen tomatoes inside as soon as they start to turn color without compromising any flavor.
2.      Place whole tomatoes (never cut until after boiling) and place in boiling water until skins begin to split.
3.      Put cooked tomatoes in ice water to cool.
4.      Peel skins off and compost skins.
5.      For whole and diced tomatoes- place them in sanitized canning jars leaving a half inch of space below the top. Add 1/2 tsp of salt per pint, 1 tsp per quart and 1 tbsp of lemon juice per pint, 2 tbsp per quart. Clean rims, add lids and screw rings on, but not too tight. Water boil for 40 minutes for pints, 45 for quarts.
Tomato Sauce: Repeat Steps 1-3 to begin
1.      Place cooked and split tomatoes in a large colander to drain out any excess liquid.
2.      Peel skins and pull tops and core out. Run through a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor you can press them through a strainer, this is a much longer process.
3.      Cook tomato liquid until boiling. Reduce heat to lowest level and cook down for thicker sauce, stir sauce occasionally.
4.      Fill sanitized jars leaving a half inch of space below top. Add 1/2 tsp of salt per pint, 1 tsp per quart and 1 tbsp of lemon juice per pint, 2 tbsp per quart. Clean rims, add lids and screw rings on, but not too tight. Water boil for 40 minutes for pints, 45 for quarts.
Store jars in a cool, dark location. Always check lids before using as they can sometimes fail after canning. Canned tomatoes can be used in many recipes, our favorites are spaghetti, goulash, chili, lasagna, and gumbo. While Romas are our favorite tomato to can based on taste, we can all the varieties we grow.
Not enough tomatoes to can at one time? Wash ripe tomatoes and keep them frozen in a freezer bag until you do! Skins will peel off without having to put the tomatoes in boiling water.
Audrey L Elder
Fourteen Acre Wood