How to Can Tomatoes
Authored by Carol J. Alexander
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Authored by Carol J. Alexander
Nothing beats the flavor of a homegrown tomato. Fresh off the vine, served sliced with salt, tucked between two slices of bread, or cooked down into an aromatic sauce for pasta and pizza, the sweet-tart tomato taste is to be savored. And, when you learn to can your tomatoes, you can enjoy that rich goodness all year long. The easiest way to can tomatoes is by packing them raw into jars and processing them in a water bath canner.
Before you begin, ensure you have enough jars, lids, and acidifying agent. One quart jar holds roughly three pounds of tomatoes. So, to fill a canner with seven quarts, you’ll need about 21 pounds of tomatoes. Or, you’ll need about 13 pounds of tomatoes to fill a canner with nine pints. For reference, a bushel of tomatoes weighs 53 pounds.
Once you have enough jars and lids to begin, make sure everything is clean and accessible.
Read more about all the Canning Supplies you may ever need.
To acidify the tomatoes, add ONE of the following to EACH JAR:
Bottled lemon juice
Pint jar: Add 1 tablespoon
Quart jar: Add 2 tablespoons
Citric acid powder
Pint jar: Add 1/4 teaspoon
Quart jar: Add 1/2 teaspoon
5% vinegar
(may alter flavor)
Pint jar: Add 2 tablespoons
Quart jar: Add 4 tablespoons
Read our Step-by-Step Guide to Water Bath Canning for more information about processing food in a water bath canner.
Once you remove the jars from the canner, allow them to sit undisturbed for 24 hours. Before moving them to long-term storage, check each jar for a successful seal. Your tomatoes will keep best in a cool, dark, dry location between 50 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Read more about How to Store Canned Food.
Mixing fruits and vegetables for canning can be tricky. Here’s why. To create salsa, you add onions and peppers to tomatoes. By themselves, onions and peppers require pressure canning. So, to water bath salsa safely, you’ll need the correct amounts of each ingredient to create something acidic enough to be safe. For this reason, always use a trusted recipe that’s been scientifically tested, like those from the National Center for Home Food Preservation.
For everything you need to preserve your harvest, review our latest canning equipment catalog. Stock your kitchen with all the necessary supplies for putting food by so you’re never caught unaware. Then enjoy homemade sauce on pizza, pasta, and more with family and friends all year long.