Canning Crushed Tomatoes

jars of canned crushed tomatoes on red and white tablecloth.

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A basic pantry staple that every home canner needs to know. Simple steps and endless uses. Makes 6 pint jars.

Prep Time20

Cook Time5

Process Time35

Total Time1

Course: Pantry Staple

Keyword: canning crushed tomatoes, canning tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, Summer, Tomatoes

Servings: pint jars

Calories: 112kcal

Author: Katie

Equipment

Waterbath canner
6 pint-size mason jars
potato masher
Ladle

Ingredients

8 pounds Roma tomatoes about 25 tomatoes
6 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
3 teaspoons canning salt

Instructions

Prep jars and lids. Wash your mason jars with hot, soapy water, then transfer them to a waterbath canner. Fill the canner with water until the mason jars are fully submerged. Place over medium heat. Cover and simmer. Wash the rings and lids with hot, soapy water and set aside.
Boil and score. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While your water is coming up to a boil, gently score the bottom of your tomatoes with an X.
Prep ice-water bath. Prepare an ice-water bath by filling a large mixing bowl with ice about halfway, then fill it with water until it is filled ¾ way full.
Boil and ice tomatoes. Once the water is boiling, working in batches, transfer 5-6 scored tomatoes to the boiling water. Boil for 30-90 seconds or until the skin pulls away from the tomato. Transfer the tomatoes to the prepared ice water bath.
Peel and cut. Peel the skins off the tomatoes. You can save the skins to make tomato powder by placing the skins in the dehydrator. Cut the tomatoes into quarters.
Heat and mash. Place 3 cups of the quartered tomatoes into a large stainless steel pot. Place over medium heat. Using a potato masher, mash the tomatoes as they warm. Once the tomatoes have broken up and are bubbling, add 2 cups of the quartered tomatoes. Continue mashing until all the tomatoes are broken up. You should have about 12 cups of crushed tomatoes.
Boil. Once the tomatoes have all been crushed down, bring to a rapid boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly so the mixture doesn’t stick to the bottom or boil over. Remove from the heat.
Fill jars. Remove the jars from the waterbath canner. In each jar, add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of canning salt. Ladle the hot crushed tomatoes to the jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace in each jar.
Debubble, wipe, and lid. Using a debubbler, remove any air bubbles and refill to keep a ½ inch headspace. Wipe the rims with a clean, damp towel. Place the clean lids and rings on the jars. Tighten the rings so they are fingertip-tight.
Process. Transfer the jars to the waterbath canner, and fully submerge them in water with at least 1 inch of water above the jars. Add a splash of white vinegar (optional to prevent build-up from forming on the outside of the jars). Bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, set a time for 35 minutes.
Cool. After 35 minutes, remove the canner from the heat and remove the lid. Let jars cool for 5 minutes inside the canner. Remove from the canner and place in a heat-safe area. Cool for 12-24 hours.
Check seals. Once completely cooled, check the jars for a proper seal. If a proper seal has been confirmed, label the jars and store them in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months, per your lids manufacturer’s recommendations. If a proper seal has not been made, refrigerate immediately and use within 3 days.

Notes

Roma tomatoes are best to use because they give you the biggest amount of sauce.
Bottled lemon juice is recommended for canning best practices because the acid level is consistent.
I used Mortons Canning and Pickling Salt
Nutrition Facts are for one pint jar

Nutrition