What to do with all the tomatoes! Canning is an easy solution.
Toe-may-toe, Toe-MAH-toe, what to do when you have too many tomatoes? Give them away to neighbors and relatives? Let them rot on the vine? One solution may be to can them in mason jars. Its not as complicated as it may seem.
- Set a pot of water large enough for your pint jars on the stove while washing the jars, tops and rings in warm soapy water and rinse well.
- Set a flat bottom strainer using forks underneath so strainer does not contact the bottom of the pot and carefully put the mason jars upright and lids into the pot. Sterilize at 180° F for about 1/2 hour.
- Meanwhile start peeling the tomatoes, core tomato removing stem and slice an X into opposite side. SPlace prepared tomatoes into boiling water for one minute and then into cold water ice bath.
- Place tomatoes into boiling water for about 1 minute and then place in ice water.
- Remove sterilized jar and lid from boiling water.
- Remove sterilized mason jar from the hot water bath. Add peeled tomatoes to the hot mason jar filling to leave about 1/2 inch space. Use a clean spoon to gently pack down.
- Add 1/2 teaspoon salt and one tablespoon lemon juice in jar and place seal on jar tightening the ring finger tight on jar, do not overtighten.
- Place filled mason jar in rapidly boiling water for 35 minutes.
- Turn of heat and let jars sit in the pot for 5 minutes before removing to counter to cool.
- Store canned tomato jars in a cool dry place fo up to eighteen months.
This recipe is modified from the Ball Mason Jar website crushed tomato recipe. I can whole peeled tomatoes with this recipe adding more salt and lemon juice. Use this link to see original Ball recipe:
https://www.ballmasonjars.com/blog?cid=crushed-tomatoes
Cranberry Sauce
social media recipe, not tested!
If you’re canning your cranberry sauce…
Put water in your water bath canner and add a splash of white vinegar to help keep the jars from becoming cloudy. Or you can use 1/8 teaspoon of Cream of Tarter instead of vinegar if you prefer. Both work just as well.
Turn the heat on to heat up the water
I fill my clean jars with tap water and put them in the canner to have my jars heated when I’m ready to fill them.
When I’m ready to fill the jars –
I pour the water out of the jars
Fill the heated jars with cranberry sauce to 1/4 inch headspace
Wipe the rims with a damp paper towel.
Put on the flat lid and ring/band and tighten it finger tight
Put the filled jars in your water bath canner (which you’ve had on the stove heating the water).
Make sure the water covers the jars by at least an inch.
When the water comes to a boil start timing… boil for 10 minutes.
Remove jars using your canning tongs and place them on a clean towel on your counter.
Listen for the ‘ping’ letting you know your jars are sealing!
When the jars are sealed and cool,
Remove the rings/bands,
Wipe the jars clean,
Label your jars with the content and date.
The jars you see in the picture represent a quadruple batch.
For each single batch I get 3 half-pint jars.
