Canned Tomatoes

steps

1. Prepare your water-boiling canning pot. Ready your sterilized jars by boiling for 5 minutes. Remove lids from the saucepan using a jar lifter to protect your hands. Allow the jars, rings, and lids to cool. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to each jar.
2. Rinse your tomatoes in cool water. Blanch your tomatoes by filling a large pot with water and bring to a boil. As you’re waiting for the boil, fill a large bowl with ice water. Both the boiling and ice water need to be ready at the same time. Once the water is boiling, drop your tomatoes into the water for 60 seconds. Start timing after the last tomato has been dropped (do not overcrowd your pot). Blanch a single layer of tomatoes at a time and move through a couple rounds of blanching if needed. After 60 seconds, use a slotted spoon to remove your tomatoes from the boiling water, and immediately submerge them in your ice water. Allow them to completely cool.
3. While your tomatoes cool, wash and rinse the large pot you used to blanch them. Refill your large pot with water, and bring to a simmer.
4. Core your tomatoes using a paring knife (removing the core from your tomatoes will give you a starting point from which to begin peeling). Peel your tomatoes.
5. Transfer your tomatoes to your large pot of water, and simmer for 5 minutes. Take a single tomato at a time out of your water using your slotted spoon. Tightly pack your tomatoes into your jars.
6. Transfer your water into your jars of tomatoes carefully. Use your funnel to guide each pour and use a ladle or a measuring cup to transfer your water. Fill each jar to the lowest part of the jar’s mouth, about ½ inch below the rim (you may ladle your water over a small sieve for clearer water). If you see any bubbles in the jars, use a spatula to guide them out.
7. Wipe your jars clean, especially the rims, with a warm, damp towel. Add your lids and rings. Tighten.
8. Submerge your jars into your water-boiling canning pot. Allow them to boil for 45 minutes. Begin your timer once your water is boiling. Adjust for altitude if needed.
9. Carefully remove your jars from the water using your jar lifter and set them on a towel or drying rack to cool.
10. Once cooled, either listen for your jar to “pop”, an audible indication it has sealed, pr push the center of the lid to see if it pops up and down. If it doesn’t, it’s sealed (if the lid does pop up and down, it did not seal. Simply put that jar in your refrigerator and enjoy within a month). Date your sealed jar and store for up to a year.