Friday, July 29, 2011

Tomatoes!


I love tomatoes! I can them straight, make them into different types of sauces, make juice from them. Blends of tomatoes for favorite recipes. I planted 26 tomato plants this year and already know I don't have enough! Will have to hit the Amish Produce Auction next month and buy a bunch to make sure we get what we need!

Canned Tomatoes
Wash tomatoes. Dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split, then dip in cold water. Slip off skins and remove cores. Leave whole or half or chop them up. Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired. Fill jars with raw tomatoes, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Press tomatoes in the jars until spaces between them fill with juice. Leave 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process for 45 minutes in boiling water bath OR 15 minutes in a 10 lb. Pressure canner.

Tomato Sauce

For thin sauce – An average of 35 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 21 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 53 pounds and yields 10 to 12 quarts of sauce-an average of 5 pounds per quart. For thick sauce – An average of 46 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 28 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 53 pounds and yields 7 to 9 quarts of sauce-an average of 6½ pounds per quart.
Prepare and press as for making tomato juice. Simmer in large-diameter saucepan until sauce reaches desired consistency Boil until volume is reduced by about one-third for thin sauce, or by one-half for thick sauce. Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to jars. Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired. Fill jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process 40 minutes in water bath canner (add 5 minutes for every 3,000 feet in altitude) OR in Pressure canner for 40 minutes at 6 lbs pressure.

Tomato Paste

  • 8 quarts peeled, cored chopped tomatoes (about 4 dozen large)
  • 1½ cups chopped sweet red peppers (about 3)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon canning or pickling salt
  • 1 clove garlic (optional)
Yield: About 9 half-pint jars
Hot Pack - Combine first four ingredients and cook slowly 1 hour. Press through a fine sieve. Add garlic clove, if desired. Continue cooking slowly until thick enough to round up on a spoon, about 2½ hours. Stir frequently to prevent sticking. Remove garlic clove and bay leaves.
Pour boiling hot paste into hot half pint jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel; adjust two-piece metal canning lids. Process in a Boiling Water Canner. For 55 minutes. (add 5 minutes for every 3,000 feet in altitude)

Tomato Ketchup

  • 24 lbs ripe tomatoes
  • 3 cups chopped onions
  • 3/4 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
  • 3 cups cider vinegar (5 percent)
  • 4 tsp whole cloves
  • 3 sticks cinnamon, crushed
  • 1-1/2 tsp whole allspice
  • 3 tbsp celery seeds
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup salt
Yield: 6 to 7 pints
Procedure: Wash tomatoes. Dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Dip in cold water. Slip off skins and remove cores. Quarter tomatoes into 4-gallon stock pot or a large kettle. Add onions and red pepper. Bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes, uncovered. Combine spices in a spice bag and add to vinegar in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to boil. Cover, turn off heat and hold tomato mixture for 20 minutes. Then, remove spice bag and combine vinegar and tomato mixture. Boil about 30 minutes. Put boiled mixture through a food mill or sieve. Return to pot. Add sugar and salt, boil gently, and stir frequently until volume is reduced by one-half or until mixture rounds up on spoon without separation. Fill pint jars, leaving 1/8-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process pints for 20 minutes.

Country Western Ketchup

Country Western Ketchup

  • 24 lbs ripe tomatoes
  • 5 chile peppers, sliced and seeded
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 2-2/3 cups vinegar (5 percent)
  • 1-1/4 cups sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground red pepper (cayenne)
  • 4 tsp paprika
  • 4 tsp whole allspice
  • 4 tsp dry mustard
  • 1 tbsp whole peppercorns
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 tbsp bay leaves
Yield: 6 to 7 pints
Wash tomatoes. Dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Dip in cold water Slip off skins and remove cores. Quarter tomatoes into 4-gallon stock pot or a large kettle. Add chile peppers and red pepper. Bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes, uncovered. Combine spices in a spice bag and add to vinegar in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to boil. Turn off heat and let stand until tomato mixture has been cooked 20 minutes. Then, remove spice bag and combine vinegar and tomato mixture. Boil about 30 minutes. Put boiled mixture through a food mill or sieve. Return to pot. Add sugar and salt, boil gently, and stir frequently until volume is reduced by one-half or until mixture rounds up on spoon without separation. Fill pint jars, leaving 1/8-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process 20 minutes.


Have fun canning up all the tomatoes you can get this summer! I will try to post my pizza sauce, salsa, tomato juice and that lovely V-8 juice we make up, ect next week!

Cherlynn

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