If you are starting to run out of room in the freezer you may want to think about canning some tomatoes this summer. Once you have acidified the tomatoes, it is safe to process them in a boiling water bath canner. You need 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice per pint and 2 tablespoons per quart of tomato product. These same amounts of acid are required regardless of the tomato product you are canning-unless you are making salsa. Salsas have different requirements and you should always use a tested recipe to make them.
There are several different methods you can use to can tomatoes once you have skinned them.
- Crush and cook them tomatoes; this method will prevent separation in the finished product.
- Leave the tomatoes whole or halve them and pack them in water.
- Leave the tomatoes whole or halve them and pack them in tomato juice.
- Pack whole tomatoes into a jar, pressing them until all the space between the tomatoes is filled with juice.
These methods have slightly different processing times and can be processed in either the boiling water bath canner or in a pressure canner. Remember that the tomatoes must be acidified to produce a safe product no matter which type of canner you choose.
We also have tested recipes available for stewed tomatoes, tomato juice, tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato catsup, barbeque sauce, chili sauce, hot sauce, and spaghetti sauce.
Enjoy the taste of your garden tomatoes long into the winter.
