SAFETY question: Crushed tomatoes (pic)

12 years ago

Well, I spent yesterday canning all day again, even though it was over 90 (hot for us here in Petaluma, CA). I managed to can 9 pints of crushed tomatoes, although I'm not happy with how they came out plus I'm concerned about their safety. First, they came out more like stewed tomatoes than crushed; by the time I got the last of them into the pot, the others had cooked quite a bit. The Ball Complete recipe calls for starting with two cups peeled and quartered in the pot, bring to a boil, then add the rest in small batches as you get them peeled. So, they don't look great, but I can live with that.

The really important question is - are they safe? They separated while processing; here's a picture:

The tomatoes seem to be floating with water at the bottom in a few of the jars. You can also see near the necks of the jars where there are spaces in the tomatoes.

I did follow all instructions carefully, making sure there were no air spaces/bubbles and had the proper head space before putting the lids on.

So, are they safe?

Thanks,

Kathy

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Comments (4)

digdirt2
12 years ago
The Ball Complete recipe calls for starting with two cups peeled and quartered in the pot, bring to a boil, then add the rest in small batches as you get them peeled.

No it says you add them as you quarter them. All the tomatoes are already peeled and cored before you start heating any. In fact you can have them all already quartered too and sitting in a bowl by the stove. It's all just a matter of experience.

But in some ways crushed tomatoes and stewed tomatoes are pretty much the same thing although normally "stewed" tomatoes also include peppers, onions, and celery and they are pressure canned. Again just a matter of experience and semantics.

Your tomatoes are fine and are safe assuming you added the required acid.

The bit of separation is normal and would have been even more if they hadn't been cooked so long. But it resolves itself with time and they settle. You can even gently shake the jars to hurry it along if you wish once they are 24 hours old.

Dave
decemberdaisy
12 years ago
Mine did that, too, when I used the "Bruchetta in a Jar" recipe from the Ball Complete Book. It scared me for sure. I called a friend of mine who is an accomplished canner and she explained that it is normal & that it has to do with the enzymes from the tomatoes. I was able to gently shake my jars the following day and they look perfect now.
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calliope
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Yes........all of us canners have had the same experience with tomato products. There is a tip in the link below about how to help keep it to a minimum, however. It's explained that as soon as a tomato is chopped or crushed, an enzyme starts to break down the pectin, and that's what holds the cells together. Heat destroys this enzyme and that's why heating your tomatoes sufficiently BEFORE you start to crush them helps to prevent this separation. It's harmless, as explained already if they seperate and/or float, but this does help to make a prettier and more homogenous product if you're not canning them whole.

Here is a link that might be useful: preventing separation when canning tomatoes
Kathy F
Original Author
12 years ago
Glad to hear they are safe and that it's not just me - thanks all!

Dave - oops, I did my original post in the wee hours after a less than complete night of sleep. You are right - instructions (which I followed) say to peel first, then quarter and add as you go.

Calliope - thanks for the link. I kinda have to laugh: if you don't heat quickly after you cut, you'll end up with separation and water at the top. If you cut and add as you go and as a result heat at least some of the tomatoes for a longer time, you end up with separation and water at the bottom. But the suggestion to heat whole peeled tomatoes in the microwave before chopping/crushing is interesting. Not sure I would want to add one more step, but something to think about.

Kathy

SAFETY question: Crushed tomatoes (pic)

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digdirt2

decemberdaisy

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SAFETY question: Crushed tomatoes (pic)

Comments (4)

digdirt2

decemberdaisy

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Kathy FOriginal Author

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