Tomatoes Out Our Ears - I'm canning like mad!!!

This spring I planted tomatoes and bell peppers because it seemed like the thing to do.  I planted Big Boy, Black Krim, Super Sauce, Steakhouse, and Super Steak tomatoes.  The Big Boys have been a little disappointing compared to other years, but the others are about to bury me, so I've been canning them.  

At 18 ounces, my Super Sauce tomatoes are too big to fit into a pint canning jar, as are my Steakhouse tomatoes, at over 1 1/2 pounds!

Here's a Super Sauce.

Here's a Steakhouse.

I usually can my tomatoes in a boiling water bath canner, but I also process them in a pressure canner.  It just depends on what I feel like using.  I processed my first two batches this year using the water bath canner, but I think I'll be using the pressure canner for the rest of them; it's a little faster and uses less water.

How I Can Tomatoes (Hot Pack)

Always select PERFECT tomatoes.  Slightly underripe is fine.  Overripe is a big no-no.  Don't worry about washing them really well, because you're going to remove the skins.  I rinse them off quickly to remove dirt.

If you don't have time to process your tomatoes right away, you can just freeze them whole in bags or containers.  When you thaw them, the skins will slip off easily - no blanching!  I usually don't do that because I keep my freezer pretty full of Other Things.

To remove the skins by blanching, fill a pot (about 6 quarts) with water and bring it to boiling.  Cut a 2-inch X on the blossom end of each tomato.  Using a fry basket, spider skimmer, or slotted spoon, dip tomatoes into the water for about 30 seconds.  Remove from the boiling water and immerse in ice water (I use a BIG bowl or the well-cleaned sink).  The skins should come right off.

I cut the tomatoes into quarters or halves and remove the seeds.  Put the first three or four tomatoes in the bottom of a pot and "squish 'em good" with a potato masher.  Heat them to a simmer.  As you cut up, core, and seed the rest of the tomatoes, put them in the pot.  Heat them all up to a boil and simmer 5 minutes.

Immediately ladle the tomatoes into canning jars to within 1 inch of the rim, wipe off the jar rim, place a lid and ring (two-piece lids) on the jars, place into the canner and process.  It will be easier if you use a canning funnel when you fill the jars.  Only use NEW lids - don't reuse them.

For a water bath canner, place the canner rack in the bottom of the canner.  Cover the jars with boiling water to at least 1 inch above their tops.  Bring the water to a moderate boil and keep it there for 20 minutes (pints) or 25 minutes (quarts).  When the processing time is over, turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes.

For a pressure canner, place the canner rack in the bottom of the canner, add 3 quarts (or the amount specified by your canner's instructions) of boiling water to the canner, place the jars in the canner, lock the lid.  Look for a steady stream of steam out of the vent.  Exhaust the air from the canner by allowing the steam to flow for 10 minutes.  Place the regulator weight on the vent.  Bring the pressure up to 10 pounds (using a three-piece regulator weight) or 11 pounds (using a gauge) for 10 minutes (pints or quarts) OR 15 pounds for 1 minute.  Check your canner's instructions.  After processing time is finished, turn off the burner or remove the canner (CAREFULLY - it's heavy!) from the heat.  The pressure will reduce until the air vent/cover lock drops.  Remove the weighted regulator and let sit for 2 minutes.  Remove the lid and let sit for 10 minutes.

Remove jars from the canner with a jar lifter and place on a dry dish towel on the counter.  Cover the jars with a second dish towel to keep the jars out of any drafts while they cool.  You may hear the lids click when they seal.  Let them sit overnight.  Check the lids for a seal.  The centers of the lids should stay down when you press on them.  Remove the rings, wipe down the jars, label, and store.  If a jar doesn't seal, either reprocess it or put it in the refrigerator and use as soon as possible.

Use within 18 months to two years.  They'll be just fine that long.