Notes on Canning

If garden-fresh salsa is what you want to can from your tomato crop, you’re in luck. Some new recipes have been developed and tested by Val Hillers and Richard Dougherty from the Washington State University Cooperative Extension.

Because salsas are mixtures of low-acid foods, such as onions and peppers, with acidic foods, such as tomatoes, it is imperative that they contain enough acid so that they may be processed safely in a water bath canner. This means that you can’t just invent your own recipe--you must follow a tested recipe.

The same goes for salsas as for other canned tomato products. Use high quality tomatoes only--never overripe tomatoes or those that have seen better days.

You may use either paste tomatoes, such as Romas, or slicing tomatoes. Both make good salsas. But slicing tomatoes will yield a thinner, more watery salsa that paste tomatoes. Salsas may be thickened by adding tomato paste. You may substitute green tomatoes or tomatillos for the red type in any of these recipes. Tomatillos do not need to be peeled or seeded, but the dry outer husk must be removed.

Use high quality peppers. Do not increase the total amount of peppers in any recipe. However, you may substitute one type of pepper for another, such as a Serrano for a Jalapeno or a sweet pepper for a hot one. Wear plastic or rubber gloves when handling hot chiles.

The acid ingredients used in salsa help to preserve it. You must add acid to home-canned salsa because the natural acidity may not be enough in these mixtures. You may safely substitute an equal amount of lemon juice in a recipe calling for vinegar, but do not substitute vinegar for lemon juice. This substitution will result in a less acid and potentially unsafe salsa. Use bottled lemon juice and vinegar that is at least 5 percent acid.

You may alter the amounts of spices and herbs in these recipes. Cilantro and cumin are often used in spicy salsas. You may leave them out, if you prefer.

Hot Chile Salsa
(makes 6 to 8 pints )

5 pounds peeled, cored and coarsely chopped tomatoes (about 10 cups)
2 pounds chopped chile peppers (about 6 cups)
1 pound chopped onions (about 4 cups)
1 cup vinegar (5%)
3 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2. Ladle salsa into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Not So Hot Chile Salsa
(makes 3 pints )

3 cups peeled, cored, chopped tomatoes
3 cups seeded, chopped mild long green chiles
3/4 cup chopped onions
1 Jalapeno pepper, seeded, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups vinegar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons oregano leaves
1-1/2 teaspoons salt

2. Ladle into hot pint jars, leaving l/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Tomato Taco Sauce
(makes 11 pints )

8 quarts peeled, cored, finely chopped paste tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 cups chopped onions
4 Jalapeno peppers, seeded, chopped
4 long green chiles, seeded, chopped
2 1/2 cups vinegar
2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons oregano leaves
1 teaspoon ground cumin

2. Ladle hot mixture into pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Thick Tomato Salsa
(makes 7 pints )

3 quarts peeled, cored, chopped slicing tomatoes
3 cups chopped onions
6 Jalapeno peppers, seeded, finely chopped
4 long green chiles, seeded, chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 12-ounce cans tomato paste
2 cups bottled lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons oregano leaves
1 teaspoon black pepper

2. Ladle hot into pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Tomatillo Salsa
(makes 5 pints )

5 cups chopped tomatillos
1-1/2 cups seeded, chopped long green chiles
1/2 cup seeded, finely chopped Jalapeno peppers
4 cups chopped onions
1 cup bottled lemon juice
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
3 tablespoons oregano leaves
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

2. Ladle hot into pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Information provided by the University of California Cooperative Extension in Los Angeles County and adapted from the USDA’s Agriculture Information Bulletin #539 and University of California Cooperative Extension Materials.