Last Updated on October 21, 2024 by Renee’
I wanted to share How to Can Tomatoes with you since they are in abundance right now. This recipe is so easy & you are able to can as few or as many tomatoes as you want. You don’t even have to have a canner.
As many of you know, if you have been following me, my dad has a huge organic garden every year. This year it was a little smaller than last year. He is 81 you know. So I’m not complaining. I went last week & picked green beans, tomatoes & squash. It is so nice to be able to do this. So you know what I have been up to. Canning, Freezing & Fermenting.
This recipe is how my grandmother & mother & their mothers have always canned tomatoes. Some people say you need to water bath can them. If you would feel more comfortable doing that, you definitely can. I asked my mother about it & she says she has never lost a can of tomatoes in all the years she has been doing them this way.
From what I have read about it, the tomatoes today don’t have the acidity of tomatoes (see notes below) of years ago due to GMO’s, & all the chemicals that are being used on the vegetables & in the soil. We definitely don’t have this problem since my dad doesn’t use any of these. So I would make sure that you use locally grown tomatoes that you know for sure are organic.
Ingredients:
- Tomatoes (Organic preferably)
- 1 tsp. sea salt per qt. or 1/2 tsp. per pint (optional)
Tools Needed:
- Quart Canning Jars or Pint Jars (however many you need for the amount of tomatoes you have)
- Canning Lids with Rings
- Large stainless steel bowl
- 1 Large Pot for bringing tomatoes to boil
- 1 Large Pot for boiling water for heating jars
- Small Pot for water for lids & rings
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Tongs
- Jar Lifter
- Soup Ladle
- Canning Funnel
Directions to prepare tomatoes
- Wash tomatoes, put in a large stainless steel bowl.
- Bring pot of water to boiling.
- Drop tomatoes in one or two at a time (can pour over all tomatoes but tomatoes start cooking & I think you lose too much of the juice)
- As soon as the tomato skin starts to crack, remove tomato, peel & core.
- Add tomatoes to hot water as needed. It only takes about a min. or two before they are ready.
- After tomatoes are peeled & cored you can chop or quarter (I prefer to chop mine.) and put in Large Pot,
Directions to prepare for canning:
- Fill a Large Pot with water, add jars & bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer.
- Fill a Small Pan with water, add rings & lids & bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer.
- Fill a Large Pot with Tomatoes & bring to boil. (This needs to be a rolling boil, the tomatoes will be foaming on top)
- Remove Jar from boiling water with a jar lifter. Put Canning Funnel on the jar.
- Use a soup ladle to pour hot tomatoes into the jar until full leaving 1-inch headspace. If adding salt add before adding tomatoes. Not necessary.
- Use a clean towel (paper is fine) dampened to clean the rim of the jar.
- Use tongs to remove lid & ring from boiling water & put on the jar. Use a towel if necessary to tighten the lid. The jar & lid will be hot.
- As Jar cools you will hear a pop. That means it has sealed.
- Repeat for the 2nd jar & so on for however many jars you have.
Notes:
- If unsure about acidity in your tomatoes, add 1 Tbs. of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 pint or 2 Tbs. to a quart.
- Also if you are concerned about canning in this manner, you can use a water bath canner. (You can pack the tomatoes in raw then water bath for 45 min.)
- Use canned tomatoes in soups & stews.
*Scroll down for printable recipe card.
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More Canning & Freezing Recipes:
- How to Can Squash
- How to Can Bone Broth
- How to Can Green Beans
- How to Can Potatoes
- How to Can Beef
- How to Can Ground Beef or Venison
- How to Can Okra
- How to Freeze Tomatoes
- How to Freeze Squash
- How to Freeze Okra
Recipes to try:
How to Can Tomatoes
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- Tomatoes (Organic preferably)
Tools Needed:
- Quart Canning Jars or Pint Jars (however many you need for the amount of tomatoes you have)
- Canning Lids with Rings
- Large stainless steel bowl
- 1 Large Pot for bringing tomatoes to boil
- 1 Large Pot for boiling water for heating jars
- Small Pot for water for lids & rings
- Knife
- Cutting Board
- Tongs
- Jar Lifter
- Soup Ladle
- Canning Funnel
Instructions
Directions to prepare tomatoes
- Wash tomatoes, put in a large stainless steel bowl.
- Bring pot of water to boiling.
- Drop tomatoes in one or two at a time (can pour over all tomatoes but tomatoes start cooking & I think you lose too much of the juice)
- As soon as the tomato skin starts to crack, remove tomato, peel & core.
- Add tomatoes to hot water as needed. It only takes about a min. or two before they are ready.
- After tomatoes are peeled & cored you can chop or quarter (I prefer to chop mine.) and put in Large Pot
Directions to prepare for canning:
- Fill a Large Pot with water, add jars & bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer.
- Fill a Small Pan with water, add rings & lids & bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer.
- Fill a Large Pot with Tomatoes & bring to boil. (This needs to be a rolling boil, the tomatoes will be foaming on top)
- Remove Jar from boiling water with a jar lifter. Put Canning Funnel on the jar.
- Use a soup ladle to pour tomatoes into the jar until full leaving 1-inch headspace.
- Use a clean towel (paper is fine) dampened to clean rim of jar.
- Use tongs to remove lid & ring from boiling water & put on jar. Use a towel if necessary to tighten lid. Jar & lid will be hot.
- As Jar cools you will hear a pop. That means it has sealed.
- Repeat for 2nd jar & so on for however many jars you have.
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