This salsa canning recipe is a great way for to preserve not only tomatoes, but peppers and onions from the garden, too. Use this printable step-by-step guide to get started.
12ouncestomato pasteoptional, for thickening, up to 12 oz as you prefer
Instructions
Prepare for Canning
Wash the jars you'll use, making sure each is clean and free of nicks in the rim, which could impede sealing.
Wash the lids and rings in hot soapy water. (If you're using non-Ball brand lids, prepare as suggested by manufacturer.)
Place empty jars in a canning pot or large stock pot with enough water to cover by an inch or two, cover pot, and set on high heat when salsa comes to a boil.
Making the salsa:
Chop tomatoes, onions, and peppers into a quarter-inch dice by hand or in a food processor.
14 cups fresh tomatoes, 3 cups onions, 1/2 cup hot peppers, 1 cup mild chiles
Combine all ingredients in a large stock pot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer salsa for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ladle hot salsa into half-pint or pint jars, leaving 1/2" head space. A canning funnel makes this easy.
Wipe jar rims to remove any salsa that may have spilled. A clean rim is essential to a good seal.
Set jar lids in place. Screw bands on finger tight, firmly, but don't crank the rings on.
Use a jar lifter to gently submerge jars into boiling water in canning pot. Water should cover the top of the jars by an inch. The water will cool somewhat in reaction to the addition of the jars. Return the water to a low boil and set the timer.
Process for 15 minutes, 0-1,000 feet altitude; 20 minutes, 1,001-6,000 feet altitude; 25 minutes, above 6,000 feet.
Allow jars to cool overnight.
Check for seal: the lids should feel solid and slightly indented. If they flex, they are not shelf stable and should be refrigerated and used first.
Wash jars, remove rings, and store in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
Notes
Makes 7-9 pints
Note: If your tomatoes are really juicy ones, squeeze out some of the juice before processing to avoid a thin salsa. The texture of the salsa when it first goes in the pot is essentially what the texture will be in the jar.
Changes made: converted ingredient measurements to cups
Don't use salt that is iodized or treated with clumping agents.
It is safe to substitute lime juice for the lemon juice in this recipe.
You can safely use any type of pepper - green bell peppers, banana peppers, hot peppers - as long as you do not alter the quantity called for in the recipe.
Boiling lids or heating above 180°F as once recommended can damage the sealing compound.
SOURCE: This recipe for salsa for canning is adapted from the Tomato/Tomato Paste Salsa on NMSU's College of Agriculture & Home Economics site (https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_e/E323/).