Canning Tomatoes at Home

Tomatoes are easy to grow and relatively easy to preserve in glass jars using the hot water bath method.

One of the joys of vegetable gardening is the plethora of fresh produce that feeds the gardener's family. As produce does not last forever, gardeners use home canning recipes to enjoy the harvest through the bleak winter.

Naturally acidic foods may be preserved using the hot water bath method. Tomatoes are both easy to grow and are acidic. Tomatoes are a great choice for both beginning gardeners and beginning home canners.

Canning Kits, Canning Racks, and Canning Jars

Full canning kits are available for purchase from companies such as Lehman's. A canning kit saves the novice canner from hunting around for necessary items or, worse yet, realizing in the middle of a canning project that a necessary tool is missing.

Most boiling water bath canning kits include:

• Granite ware canner;
• Canning rack;
• Jar funnel;
• Jar lifter; and
• Magnet.

Lehman's canning kit includes a dozen canning jars with lids and bands.

Granite ware is also sometimes called "granny-ware." It has the easily recognized white flecks on dark blue or black. A canning rack is a wire rack that sits inside the canner. It holds the jars in place and is easy to insert and remove.

Canning jar funnels have much wider spouts than other funnels. This is necessary to allow hot, chunky food through the funnel and into the canning jar. Jar lifters are designed to remove hot, slippery jars out of hot water safely, and the magnets remove sterilized jar lids and bands from boiling water.

In addition to the above, also gather:

• Jars, lids and bands;
• Big cooking pot;
• Sterilizing pot.

Preserve Jars

Whether canning jars are brand new or have been used before, they must be thoroughly cleaned and sterilized before use. Make certain there is no stuck on food anywhere inside old jars.

Heat a large pot of water and boil. Jars, lids and bands must boil for ten minutes. Also sterilize funnel and other canning utensils.

Clean the kitchen counter and put down a clean, dry towel. As jars, lids and bands come out of the sterilizing bath, place them on the towels ready for filling. This should be done just before filling with food.

Home Canning Recipe With Tomatoes

Can fresh-picked tomatoes along with some fresh from the garden basil. Jars of tomatoes can be stored in the pantry and used to make salsas and sauces or added to any recipe that calls for canned tomatoes.

Many recipes call for par-boiling tomatoes and removing skins. Tomato skin, however, is food. It is fibrous and has vitamins so this recipe does not include such a step.

1. Select the amount of tomatoes that will fit in one canner load. Always prepare one canner load at a time.
2. Wash tomatoes, cut out the core, and cut into quarters.
3. Place tomatoes in large sauce pot and cover with water. Add finely chopped fresh basil, if desired.
4. Boil for five minutes.
5. Using funnel, pack jars with tomatoes one jar at a time.
6. Cover with hot cooking liquid, and leave 1/2 inch of head space.
7. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon canning salt to each pint (or double to each quart jar.)
8. Run a wooden spoon handle between tomatoes and jar to release air bubbles.
9. Use magnet to remove lid from simmering water and place so sealing compound is on top of the jar. Screw band down evenly and tightly.
10. As each jar is filled, stand it on the canning rack in the canner in hot water.
11. When rack is full, add more water if needed to cover top of jars.
12. Place lid on canner and boil for 45 minutes at altitudes under 1,000 feet above sea level.
13. Remove rack from from canner and stand jars a few inches apart in a safe place, away from drafts. Allow to cool for 12 hours.
14. Do not tighten the bands. Store in a cool, dry place until ready for use.

A Few Notes

High altitudes require additional processing time in the hot water bath canner.

When opening jars, if anything smells or tastes foul it is bad and should be thrown away.