Tomatoes Packed in their Own Juice
Created by Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving• Course: Condiments & Sauces • Season(s): Summer, Fall
Ingredients
- 2-½ to 3-½ pounds tomatoes per quart
- Bottled lemon juice
- Salt (optional)
Instructions
Heat cleaned jars on the middle rack of a 200 degree oven, or leave in the dishwasher until needed.
Select fresh, ripe firm, tomatoes that are free of cracks, spots and growths. Wash and drain tomatoes. Place tomatoes in a wire basket, and lower the basket into a large saucepot of boiling water. Blanch tomatoes 30 to 60 seconds or until skins start to crack. Remove from boiling water and dip immediately into cold water. When tomatoes have cooled just enough to be handled, slip off skins, trim away any green areas and cut out the cores. Leave tomatoes whole or cut into halves or quarters.
Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice per each pint jar or 2 tablespoons lemon juice per each quart jar. Pack tomatoes into hot jars, pressing gently on tomatoes until the natural juice fills the space between the tomatoes. Leave ½ inch headspace. Add ½ teaspoon salt per each pint jar, or 1 teaspoon salt per each quart jar, (optional). Remove air bubbles. Adjust two-piece caps. Do not over-tighten rings. Process jars 1 hour and 25 minutes in a boiling-water canner.