Techniques › Canning Tomatoes

• 7 large tomatoes are used for this video
• 5 tbsp lemon juice

Special Equipment

• canning jars, lids (rings) + inserts
• magnetic lid lifter
• tomato corer
• canning rack
• canning funnel
• jar lifter

Blanch Tomatoes

1. Cut shallow X at end of each tomato to be able to peel them
2. Drop tomatoes into a pot with boiling water. Pull out after 30 seconds or when skin starts to peel
3. Shock tomatoes in an ice bath and then peel off skins (skins should slip right off)
4. Core tomatoes

Can Tomatoes

1. Place jars in a big kettle of boiling water for 10 minutes to clean and sterilize them
2. Cut tomatoes and pack/mush them into jars using the canning funnel
3. Add 1 tbsp lemon juice per pint to help level out pH
4. With a knife, travel down the inside of the jar to get rid of air bubbles  and get juice down
5. Leave ½" head space as room for liquid to expand at the top of the jar
6. Add a little hot water to close room to ½"
7. Clean edge and place lid on top and add ring finger-tight (not super tight)
8. Place jars in a pot of boiling water on a canning rack so they don't sit on the bottom of the water, which needs to be 1-2" above the top of the jar
9. Cover and boil 35 minutes per pint or 45 minutes per quart
10. Pull jars out. Make sure you hear them make a pop noise because it means they are sealing. If the lid pops up and down, then it is not sealed
11. Store in a cool, dark place with no full sunlight

• Fresh canned tomatoes can store for several years when kept in a cool, dark location