How to make Canned Tomatoes

Canned tomatoes are a staple in my pantry, and I think in most people’s pantries. I LOVE having a stock of homemade canned tomatoes to pull from. They are super easy to make and they taste amazing!  I like to buy a box of fresh tomatoes from the farmer’s market so I can have yummy canned tomatoes that will last me for months!

Yields 6 quart jars of diced tomatoes

Ingredients:
16 pounds Roma tomatoes (or other low-moisture tomatoes)
Boiling water
Lemon juice
Salt

Equipment needed:
A large canning kettle or stockpot (for processing the jars)
A small, round rack (to keep the jars off the bottom of the pot)
6 quart jars, sterilized
Box of new lids and rings

1. Start by blanching your tomatoes.  Put a large pot of water to boil. Cut “x” shaped slits at the bottom of the tomatoes (this will make them easier to peel), and boil in small batches for 1-2 minutes. Remove tomatoes with a slotted spoon. Once they are cooled, peel skin off the tomatoes using your hands or a paring knife.

2. Fill two more small pots with boiling water. In one pot, boil the lids to the jars for about 10 minutes, to soften their sealant. (UPDATE– there are new rules to certain brands of lids, and many no longer require boiling the lids. Check your box of lids before doing so.) Use the other pot of boiling water for adding to your tomatoes (see step 4).

3. Place your canning rack into your canning kettle, and fill the kettle with enough water that the jars will be able to be submerged. Bring water to a boil.

4. While the jars are boiling, chop tomatoes into large chunks.  Stuff your sterilized jars evenly with chopped tomatoes. Add ½ tsp salt, and 1 tsp bottled lemon juice to each quart. Gently pour boiling water in the jars with the tomatoes, leaving ½ in. headspace at the top of the jars.

5. Wipe the rims of the jars clean. Place the lids and rims on the jars.

6. Using jar lifters or tongs, lower the jars into the boiling water in the canning kettle.  Once all the jars are submerged in the kettle, put a lid on it and bring it back up to a boil. Process, with the water boiling the whole time, for 45 minutes.

7. Remove the cans from the kettle water bath and set them on a towel on your counter-top to dry and cool. Leave them undisturbed for several hours. Later, you can test the seal of the jars by gently tapping the lid, which should hold tight and be concave. (If you find one that did not seal, then it did not process correctly, so refrigerate it and use it soon.)

8. Store jars in a cool, dark place until ready to use.

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