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Canned Tomatoes

These homemade canned tomatoes are the best way to keep your garden tomatoes fresh and ready to eat and cook with all year long!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 25 minutes
Cooling time1 day
Total Time1 hour 55 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 quarts
Calories: 117kcal
Author: Stephanie

Ingredients

  • 30 large tomatoes
  • 4 tablespoons canning salt
  • 24 fresh basil leaves optional
  • ¾ cup lemon juice optional, helps with preservation
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Sterilize all cans prior to use.
  • Prepare a large bowl of ice water & set aside.
  • Boil the tomatoes in batches, (1-2 minutes for each batch.)
  • You’ll notice the skin begin to split- this makes for easy pealing!
  • Toss each batch into ice cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cool enough to handle, peel the skin off of the tomatoes and set aside.
  • Position a strainer over a large bowl, and halve the tomatoes over the strainer so that the excess juices are caught in the bowl. Remove the stems with a knife as well. Set the halved tomatoes on a large plate for now.
  • Once all of the tomatoes are halved, you may want to let them drain a little more if necessary (we’ll be adding this juice back to the cans)
  • Let the flat lids of the cans boil lightly, as they need to be hot when you screw them on.
  • Place a teaspoon of salt, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 basil leaves on the bottom of each can. Use a spoon to drop in the tomatoes, (sliced side down if you can). (I added more basil leaves at the top, for visual appeal and more flavor, this isn’t necessary.) Use a knife to remove any air bubbles or excess space.
  • Pour the tomato juice into each can and leave ½ inch of space from the rim. Place a warm lid on the top and seal shut.
  • Transfer the jars into a large pot of warm water, so that the contents is mostly submerged with just the lids poking up at the top. Bring the water to a gentle boil for 85 minutes, covered. Remove them from the water and let them cool for 24 hours. Check the lids to make sure they're sealed, then store until ready for use! :)

Nutrition

Calories: 117kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4682mg | Potassium: 1488mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 5205IU | Vitamin C: 96.4mg | Calcium: 69mg | Iron: 1.7mg