Tomatoes Tart and Tasty!

August 17th, 2010

Jackie CarattiniFamily Living Agent212 River Dr. St. 3Wausau WI. 54455715-261-1242Jackie.carattini@ces.uwex.edu

Resources for Today

• Canning Salsa Safely (B3570)

• Tomatoes Tart and Tasty (B2605)

Today’s Schedule

• Start with salsa overview• Do some cooking and

canning• End with tomato overview

Salsa: Main Ingredients

• Ripe, undamaged tomatoes (paste or slicing varieties)

• Or tomatillos – Mexican husk tomatoes

• Peppers – fiery to mild

Other Ingredients

• Onions and garlic • Acid – vinegar, lemon, lime

juice• Spices and herbs

Canning Salsa

• Prepare the water bath• Prepare jars and lids• Gather ingredients

• Wash & make “x”-shaped slit in skin at the base.• Dip tomatoes into boiling water for 30-60

seconds; then dip immediately into cold water.• Slip the skins off the tomatoes & core them.• Chop the tomatoes into small pieces.

Measure out the required amount.

To prepare the tomatoes

To prepare the peppers• Caution: Wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch

your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. Wash hands thoroughly before touching your face or eyes.

• Wash peppers & cut lengthwise. Remove stems & white membranes. Remove seeds; the more seeds you remove, the milder the salsa will be.

• Chop the peppers into small pieces. Measure out the required amount.

To prepare the onions & garlic

• Remove outer skin of onion & garlic cloves.• Wash & cut away tough stem or root parts.• Chop into small pieces. • Measure out the required amount of each.

Common Questions

• Favorite cookbook recipes• Salsa is too thin• Substituting peppers• Adding more onions or garlic • Pressure canning salsa

A Brief Review: Boiling Water Canning

• Place prepared jars in ~6” of water in canner.• Hot packed jars - simmering water

(180°F)• Raw packed jars - hot water (140°)

• Place jars on rack in canner.• Water must be over the tops of

the jars by at least 1 inch.• Begin timing when water reaches

an active boil.11

Steps for Canning1.Canner with lid2.Jars & lids3.Fill hot jars with

hot salsa4.Check

headspace5.Wipe jar rims

before applying lid

1

2

3

45

Steps in Canning Salsa (cont):6.Place jars in canner filled ½-way with hot water7.Process in boiling water – water covers jar lids by 1-2

inches8.At the end of processing, remove jars and cool

6

7

8

After Processing…

• Allow containers to cool away from drafts – Don’t touch or tighten bands while cooling!

• Once cool: check for vacuum seal

Time for Salsa!

Many Options for Preserving Tomatoes:

• Water Bath Canning• Pressure Canning• Freezing• Drying

Tomato Acidity Varies

• Type of tomato• Conditions during the

growing season• Soil in which the

plants are grown

Tomatoes

Other Factors that Affect Tomato

Acidity• Tomato juices are less acidic

than tomato solids• Over-ripe tomatoes will

decrease overall acidity• Adding low-acid ingredients

will decrease acidity• Canning itself can decrease

acidity

All Tomatoes are not Created Equal..

• Don’t can over-ripe, damaged or decayed tomatoes

• Don’t can tomatoes exposed to frost or harvested from frost-killed vines

• Don’t can late season tomatoes ripened indoors

Add acid to all canned tomatoes!

How much acid do I add?

Citric Acid Little change in flavor

½ teaspoon per quart

Bottled Lemon Juice

Easy to use 2 Tablespoons per quart

Vinegar (5% acidity) - only if called for in recipe

Noticeable change in flavor

4 Tablespoons per quart

Hints for a Safe, High Quality Tomato Product

• Process using the hot-pack method

• Consider processing tomatoes separately from low-acid ingredients

• Add meat only where directed• Don’t thicken tomato products

before processing

Watch those Recipes!

Tomatoes in Water

Sort and wash tomatoes. Remove skins. Raw pack into clean, hot canning jars, leaving ½-inch head space. Add acid and hot water. Process. Quarts -

Boiling water – 50 min

Dial gauge–10 min (11 psi)

Weighted gauge–10 min (15 psi)

Tomatoes in Juice

Sort and wash tomatoes. Skin. Pack tomatoes into clean, hot canning jars. Cover with hot tomato juice, leaving ½-inch headspace. Add acid. Process. Quarts –

Boiling water – 90 min

Dial gauge-25 min (11 psi)

Weighted gauge-25 min (15 psi)

Adjust for elevation!

• Water boils at a lower temperature as elevation increases• Increase processing time

for boiling water canning• All darker-shaded areas are

above 1,000 feet and require recipe adjustment

Use only researched recipes!

•USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning www.uga.edu/nchfp/ - 1994 or later

•UWEX Safe Food Preservation Series (2008) www.foodsafety.wisc.edu

•Ball Blue Book – after 1994

If you ever have questions:

UW-Extension Office & MFP volunteers