Learn how to can tomatoes whole from your garden. This easy home canning process will help you stock the pantry for winter.
Prep Time4 minutesmins
Cook Time55 minutesmins
Total Time59 minutesmins
Course: Sauce
Cuisine: American
Servings: 14
Calories: 43kcal
Author: Chrystal Johnson
Equipment
Sharp paring knife
Large saucepan or stock pot
Large mixing bowls
Slotted spoon
Pressure canner
Canning jars (pint or quart jars)
Bubble remover tool
Paper towels
Jar lifter
Clean towel
Ingredients
7poundsfresh tomatoes
8tablespoonsbottled lemon juice
4teaspoonssea salt
3quartswater
1tablespoonwhite vinegar
Instructions
Put a large pot of water on the stove over high heat to bring to a boil. Fill one large bowl with ice water and place a second empty bowl next to it on the counter. Wash your tomatoes.
Core the stem out of each clean tomato then make a light score with the knife around the entire tomato. Place 4-6 scored tomatoes in the boiling water for 30-45 seconds, or until the skin starts to slightly curl away from the score. When that happens, use your slotted spoon to transfer them to the ice water.
Put another 4-6 tomatoes in the boiling water the, peel the skin from the tomatoes in the ice water and set in the empty bowl. Repeat until tomatoes are peeled and in the large bowl.
Put your pressure canner on your stove and put 3 quarts of water and 1 tablespoon of vinegar in it (check that your pressure canner follows these same directions). Turn the heat onto medium. Have all of your jars and canning tools ready and prepared.
Pack tomatoes tightly into the hot, sterilized quart jar along with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 teaspoon of sea salt (use 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of sea salt for pint jars). Remove any air bubbles and make sure you have ½ inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims with a damp towel, center the lids over the jars and screw bands on to fingertip tight.
Transfer the jars to your pressure canner on top of the canning rack using a jar lifter until your canner is full.
Cook under 11 pounds of pressure for 25 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the pressure completely release from the pressure canner. Let it rest for 15 more minutes before you remove the lid.
Use your jar lifters to transfer the hot jars to a clean towel or other heat-safe surface and allow them to cool to room temperature (24 hours). Remove the rings, check the lids to ensure they’re sealed, label the jars and store them in your pantry.