Canning Whole Tomatoes
Simple steps for water bath canning whole tomatoes. Perfect for soups, sauces, and more all year long. Makes 4 quarts.
Servings: 4 quarts
Calories: 126kcal
Equipment
- Mason jars with lids and rings
- Large pot
- Mixing bowl
- Debubbler or chopstick
- Jar lifter
- Ladle
Ingredients
- 6 pounds Roma tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
- 4 teaspoons canning salt optional
- Water for canning, processing, and filling jars
Instructions
- Prepare your canning equipment. Wash jars with hot soapy water, place in water bath canner, cover with water, and simmer. Wash lids and rings and set aside.
- Prepare for blanching. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Score the bottom of tomatoes with an X. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice and add water.
- Blanch the tomatoes. Working in batches, place 5-6 tomatoes in boiling water for 30-90 seconds until skins begin to pull away. Transfer to ice bath.
- Peel and core. Remove skins from tomatoes and cut out the top cores.
- Prepare the jars. Remove jars from canner. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt (optional) to each quart jar.
- Fill the jars. Add whole tomatoes to jars, then fill with hot water leaving ½ inch headspace.
- Remove air bubbles. Use a debubbler or chopstick to release trapped air, then top up with hot water if needed to maintain ½ inch headspace.
- Seal the jars. Wipe rims with a clean damp towel. Place lids and rings on jars and tighten to fingertip-tight.
- Process the jars. Return jars to water bath canner, ensuring they're covered by at least 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil and process for 45 minutes.
- Cool and check seals. After processing, remove canner from heat, remove lid, and let jars sit for 5 minutes before transferring to a heat-safe area. Cool for 12-24 hours, then check seals.
- Store properly. Sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within 3 days.
Notes
Add a splash of white vinegar to the canner water to prevent mineral build-up on jars.
For pint jars, use 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and process for 40 minutes. Instead of lemon juice, you can use ½ teaspoon citric acid per quart jar.
Roma tomatoes are preferred for their meaty texture and low moisture content, but any tomato variety can be used.
Don't skip adding acid: modern tomatoes are less acidic and need it for safe storage.
Nutrition info is per quart.
Nutrition
Calories: 126kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 2360mg | Potassium: 1628mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 5669IU | Vitamin C: 99mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 2mg