Ingredients

Tomatoes
2 tablespoons of lemon juice PER JAR
1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt to each canning jar

Instructions

Fill a large pot three-quarters full with water, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Fill a large bowl with ice water and place it within arm’s reach of the pot.

Rinse the tomatoes under cool running water, and place them into the pot five or six at a time. Allow the tomatoes to boil for about 45 seconds, and then use tongs to transfer them to the bowl of ice water. Let the tomatoes cool in the ice water for 15 seconds. This process is known as blanching and helps loosen the skins from the tomatoes.

Peel off the tomatoes’ skins with your fingers and discard them. Cut away their woody cores with a sharp knife, and slice the tomatoes into quarters. Repeat the process until you have skinned, cored and quartered all the tomatoes. Alternatively, you can leave the tomatoes whole, halve them or crush them into small pieces.

Pour out the boiling water from the pot and place approximately 1 pound of the quartered tomatoes into it, over medium-high heat. Press the tomatoes with the back of a spoon against the side of the pan, crushing them slightly to release their juices.

Stir the tomatoes continually as they begin to reduce in volume. Add the remaining tomatoes 1 pound at a time. Once all the tomatoes are added, boil them for 5 minutes over medium heat.

Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt to each canning jar. The citric acid in the lemon juice keeps the tomatoes’ pH at a safe, low level for hot packing. You need one 1-quart canning jar for about every 1 1/4 pounds of tomatoes. Take care not to get the sterilized rim of the jar dirty. Do this while the tomatoes boil.

Spoon the boiling tomatoes into the canning jars carefully, using a canning funnel to avoid spills. Fill each jar to 1/2 inch from the top, ensuring the tomatoes are covered with their liquid. Poke a butter knife into each jar several times, to the bottom, to remove air bubbles. Air bubbles interfere with the preservation process and can ruin a batch of hot-packed tomatoes.

Place a lid onto each jar and secure it with a screw band while the tomato mixture is still hot. Place the hot packed tomatoes on a counter, about 2 inches apart, to cool for 4 to 6 hours. Poke the center of the lid of each jar to ensure it has sealed correctly. If the lid pops or moves under your finger, refrigerate the jar and use the tomatoes within two weeks. The lids that sealed properly will not move under pressure.

Store the jars of tomatoes in a cool, dark place. Use them within one year for the best flavor and consistency.

MY NOTES

jan's canning