Tomato Canning Tips

Now that fall is just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to harvest your fruits and vegetables and do some canning. Ever since I watched my mom can tomatoes when I was young, I’ve been interested in learning how to preserve the season’s best flavors with nothing but jars and a hot water bath.

Now that I get to can on my own, I’ve learned how to preserve green beans, make tomato sauce, can tomatoes, fruit and more. Today I wanted to share some pictures from my recent tomato canning adventures.

First, get your supplies. This includes a bushel (or two if you are ambitious) of ripe tomatoes. Different types will cost different amounts, and I usually get beefsteak for canning and plum for sauce. Supplies also include a hot water bath canner, you favorite Ball canning jars {have you seen the pretty blue and green ones?} and lids.

Next, bathe the tomatoes in hot water until their skin breaks, then blanch them in cold water. After that you peel the skin off, cut them up and put them in jars.

There are lots of recipes just for tomatoes. They can be cold or hot pack canned either in their own juice or water. Plus you can add citric acid for preservation and salt if you’d like. Once they are in jars, use your hot water bath canner according to the recipe and boil. That’s it!

We use these for chili, soups, pasta and more. I love having items fresh from the garden to use all winter in my cooking. This year I still might make salsa, which I have not done before. Wish me luck!