Here's a previous thread with a Spiced Tomato Soup from the BBB and also Katie's famous Roasted Garlic-Tomato Soup.

Since I can only post one link per response I'll see if I can find the thread for Shirley's juice and post again. If not, I'm sure someone else has it.

I hope you have a Ball Blue Book. It's a wonderful resource.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato Soup Thread

Stacie, I can Shirley's vegetable juice cocktail every year, it's great. I also make Katie C's Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup, another wonderful recipe.

I don't have them here with me, but tonight I'll be happy to post them if no one else has.

Annie

OK, I give up. This is one of the most user-unfriendly search engines. But I did have this recipe in my files posted by Annie.

"Another favorite is Shirley's vegetable juice cocktail, chilled and served with a dash of worchestershire and some freshly ground pepper and salt.

Vegetable Juice Cocktail
2 tbls celery seed
7 quarts fresh tomatoes
2-3 peppers
3-4 onions
2 carrots
Lemon Juice
Salt
Sugar
Cook tomatoes. Liquify other vegetables in blender or food processor and add to tomatoes along with celery seed. (If you need to, you can add just a little cooked tomato mixture to the blender to help liquify. That's what I did) Simmer 45 minutes, put through a food mill, return to pan and bring back to a simmer. Pour hot into hot jars and to each pint jar add 1 tbls lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Seal jars and pressure can 35 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure."

Makes about 7 quarts

I hope this helps. Happy canning!

Carol

Carol
Thanks for posting the recipe for the veggie juice cocktail. I just now put the last 7 quarts into my pressure canner. The first 7 are finished and are cooling down on the counter with 7 pints of the roasted tomato and garlic soup. I'm not sure if 7 quarts of tomatoes is enough for 7 quarts of finished juice, taking into consideration the skins and seeds after extracting. Today I used 1 and 1/2 bushel of roma tomatoes for all the above mentioned. I did add 1 and 1/2 quarts of pur water to the tomatoes as they were cooking down to make up for the lack of juice in the romas.
I also added 2 quarts of frozen stewed tomatoes that were left over from canning last week. That mixture contained zuchinni and yelow squash.
Sometimes I add jalapenos for a nice Bloody Mary mix.

Shirley

Shirley,

Thanks for the additional tips. I'm just now getting enough tomatoes for serious canning. Your recipe is on my "to do" list, so it's nice to have some insight straight from the creator.

Carol

Carol,
I made up this recipe when I first started canning over 50 years. My family loves it. You may put in whatever you like. You may skip the celery seeds and use a few stalks of fresh. I like the celery seeds as they come through the squeezo and give the juice that extra something. A few leaves of spinach are nice to add. I think the most important are the onions and peppers and 2 or 3 carrots. I chop all these in the processor along with a few of the tomatoes. All gets simmered for about 2 hours before going into the squeezo.
Also, I always pressure can this and any tomato product that's eaten cold.

Thanks again, Shirley. This is really helpful. I keep opening the file and pasting in your most recent comments!

I find that except for jams, jellies and preserves, I'm using the pressure canner almost exclusively. I wish I had room to keep it in the kitchen rather than dragging it out of the garage.

Carol

Are the peppers in the vegetable juice cocktail recipe just green peppers? Do 3 to 4 onions make it too onion tasting?
I am looking forward to making some of this tonight!!
Thanks

2 medium onions should be enough. You may use whatever sweet pepper you like. I use green, red or even yellow bell, banana and cubanelle. I may put in 2 jalapenoes if I want it snappy.
Most often I use frozen. I use the food processor for the onions and pepper and freeze in about 1 cup container and drop into the cooking tomatoes. You may even chop the celery,peppers and onions together, if you plan on making lots of juice.
I like to get most of the prep work done ahead.

Shirley, when I make your juice I put the peppers, onions, etc into my blender, because I don't have a food processor. Add some of the tomato juice and blend til smooth then pour back into the tomato juice. I also like the celery seed better than the celery, it gives it a more distinct flavor, I think.

I've only made one batch this year, and I'm hoping the tomatoes hold out, Dad really likes this and can go through a lot of it.

Annie

Annie,
When I first started making the vegetable juice I used a blender and it worked great. I now have a Cuisinart which I like because it gives me the exact chop I want. It is a hugh machine and not worth getting out of storage for a small amount of chopping. That's why I like to prep ahead and freeze. I do the same for your Salsa.
Same with the Squeezo. It's such a chore setting it up and messier to clean up. The screen is especially difficult to clean. I use it only if I'm doing 14 quarts or more at one time, otherwise I use my cone thingy with the wooden pin which is a cinch to clean up. The rack fits nicely over a large cooking pot.

Shirley

The tomatoes are cooking now. Thanks for the extra tips. I do have a food processor. That will come in handy. It's my favorite kitchen toy!
Will let you know how my juice turns out.

Ronda

Ronda,
I have every confidence you're vegetable juice cocktail will be delicious.

Shirley

Well, I think I added a teensy bit too much spinach. The juice is green. You think it will be ok now?
It is currently simmering.
I do have another question. The recipe says to each pint jar add 1 tbls lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Then it says it makes 7 quarts. Did you use quart jars or pint jars? If I am using quart jars do I just double the lemon juice, salt and sugar?
Thanks

Help! I need to know, pints ot quarts...I am ready to can this juice! LOL

The recipe says to each pint jar add 1 tbls lemon juice, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp sugar. Then it says it makes 7 quarts. Did you use quart jars or pint jars? If I am using quart jars do I just double the lemon juice, salt and sugar?
Thanks

Sorry I'm late. I just finished another batch of peach jam and the Green Pepper Jelly.
Yes you do add 2 tbls. lemon juice and 1 teaspoon each of salt and sugar to each quart. I like the sugar, some people don't and it is not necessary.
A little spinach goes a long way. The color may not be very pleasing but I'm sure the taste will be great.
How many quarts did you get?

Well, now that you replied, will let you know after I can it! LOL I had it sitting on warm on the stove until I heard from you!
Will let you know soon!

Ronda

I got 5 quarts out of it. I think maybe I left it in too long on the stovetop, but that's ok, we will see how it tastes afterwards! I am excited....

Ronda, I would have sampled a glass already, before I even canned it. Just for "quality control" purposes, you know? (grin)

I always canned mine in pints, that way Dad could just stick a jar in the refrigerator and when he was working in the wood shop or somewhere he'd grab a pint jar out of the fridge and take it along to sip on.

Annie

Ronda,
After my last post Thur. evening I went to bed. Were you up all night cooking those tomatoes? I see you were ready to put the juice in jars Fri. morning.
I check in here ocassionally but don't stay very long.
If there is nothing new or interesting I shut down and come back in a few hours.
I always sample the juice before canning. I never change anything. I just want to be sure it's as good as I expect.

Well, I was up late, but let it sit overnight as I was too tired to can. Then I saw the recipe in the morning and was confused on the pints, quarts thing.
I usually do test my stuff first, but figured Annie's salsa was so wonderful from this board, that how could I go wrong on your juice? :-)...I'll let it sit a day or so and chill in the fridge, then sample.

Thanks for your help!
Ronda

Once again it is time to can tomatoes:) I have 2 five gallon buckets calling my name to be put into something. Now I just need to go down and figure out what I have left over and what needs to be made.

Does any one have a tomato soup recipe out there, one with out lots of spices or roasted garlic. I like those recipes too but two years ago I made some and it was with just a mix of veggies, and I have subbed it for tomato sauce.

Stacie
who's MIL is coming over to baby sit while I can

Would you pressure can quarts of the vegetable juice cocktail for 35 minutes, or longer? I've tried a search but am not having success. :-/

mom2wildboys - not sure how long Shirley's recipe calls for - 35 mins. is likely enough for quarts but the BBB says 45 minutes for quarts so I always use that number to be on the safe side. The extra 10 mins. won't hurt anything. Also, remember if you are using a gauge canner use 11 lbs. rather than 10. ;)

It's great juice so enjoy!

Dave

Hi
I am new to this canning stuff, but I jump in with both feet. May I ask what a squeezo is and where you find one.
I have a stick and a food processor. Do I need a squeezo?
Looking for what kind of tomatoes to use for canning bloody mary mix and the best recipes? I am enjoying this thread!

Squeezo is a very old name for the newer model Villaware or Roma food strainer. These use a very good design that incorpoates a spiral auger that pushes the juices through a fine holed screens and removes all traces of seeds and skins. No prepping needed, unless the tomatoes are really big, where you simply cut them in quarters. Its similar to a meat grinder, but its for most any food that has skins and/or seeds. I use it for red raspberry jam without seeds. The use of a finer hold berry screen is what gives me just the juices and soft pulp, and any seeds are pushed out the end of the conical sieves. They also make a shorter spiral for large grape seeds and a pumpkin screen or even a 3/16 inch hole salsa screen. These are extra attachments. If you were dong a LOT of tomatoes or othr things, also suggest the motor unit. I have one here and 'crank' out a bushel in about 10 minutes.

The newer ones have a twist on strainer screen, while teholder models have two big wingnuts on each side of the screens. Of allthe models and improvements, the nerwer ones work better, leak less and are very easy to work.

Here is a link that might be useful: Food strainer

jbm4kids, you don't need a sqeezo if you are just starting, but if you truly are going to jump in with both feet I would really recommend one. My mother gave me one about 15 years ago and it is a blessing. And like ksrogers says, you can crank out a lot of tomatoes in a short time. I would like to get one that is motorized, but can not justify the cost. Plus my neighbor says he can hook it up to an old drill or something that will work. (I just have to get past my husbands pride to let him work on it-ha).

Shirley, your recipe sounds really good, I will give it a try this summer. We mostly like 'plain ole' tomato juice though. It is like eating a tomato right out of the garden.

You say you have been canning for 50 years! Way to go. I got started after I got married 25 years ago. The boys are 'spoiled' and only like green beans, tomato juice and salsa from the fruit cupboard.

Carol D.

I want to can Shirley's vegetable juice cocktail but I have a question. I also can salsa and whole tomatoes and end up with a lot of wasted juice that just goes down the drain. Is there a better way to use it? Could I use it (maybe 6 quarts of it) to make the cocktail instead of boiling down whole tomatoes? I'd like some input. Thanks.

Angie

I would not use the runoff of chopped tomatoes to make the veggie juice cocktail. If you were to use paste tomatoes for the juice and are making 7 quarts, you may add a quart of runoff to the simmering pot. I like a mixture of several types of tomatoes for my juice. I haven't made juice yet this season but hope to start tomorrow. Hope to make 50 quarts. This year I will use celery from the garden, onion, peppers some kale and a few carrots. Also a few hot peppers for the Snappy. Add 2tbls lemon juice, 1tsp.sugar and 1tsp. salt to each quart. I pressure can for 40 minutes.

a lot of wasted juice that just goes down the drain. Is there a better way to use it?

I agree with Shirley, I wouldn't use it to make the juice. The recipe as it is is too great to thin down so much.

But there is no reason for it to "go down the drain" either. ;) According to a recent discussion here on how to use the left overs, many of us can it all on its own to use as soup base. It can also be used as an additive to any other tomato-based or tomato-flavored recipe at cooking/serving time - spaghetti sauce, chili, meatloaf, swiss steak, etc.

Dave

This is a great thread. Thank you to all of you pros out there. Shirley - 50 quarts? wow. I made 7 quarts of your snappy vegetable cocktail about a month ago. I'm down to 1 quart! It's just wonderful. Everyone loves it. After making that, and Annie's Salsa, my friends are calling me the tomato lady - and bringing their teenage daughters over for a canning lesson. This weekend, I'm going for Katie's Roasted Tomato Soup. Thank you all for making me look like a pro.

Cathy

Whats going down the drain is mostly water if its seperating. When I am working with tomatoes, I cut them open and dig out most of the seeds and the watery liquid prior to running through a food strainer. I also use tomatoes that are bred for making sauces or are less watery to begin with. If a V8 is made, it will seperate and the solids float, while the clear liquid sinks.

Thanks for the advice on the tomato liquid. Can I just use a boiling water canner to can the veggie cocktail? I use it for tomato soup and it works just fine. I don't have a pressure canner. Also, if i can make this recipe, how long do I cook the tomatoes before adding the rest of the ingredients? Than simmer for just 45 minutes? To make it "snappy" I should just add a couple chopped jalepenos (liquified of course)? Also, I don't know where to find the recipe for Katie C's Roasted Garlic and Tomato Soup. That sounds tasty too (as long as I can use my boiling water canner). Thanks for knowing so much, everyone.

Angie

I don't think that it would be very safe if you used other vegetable juices along with tomato juice. Most vegetable juices are very low in acid, unless they are fruits like apple, citrus, berry, and several other fruits. For instance If you used 60% tomato, 10% celery, 5% onion, and a few others, it would definatly be too low to can in a BWB. Even tomato soup would need added acid (citric, bottled lemon juice), and no added dairy or anything else that would reduce its acidity

Not 100% sure, but it would probably can quite safely if it were pressure canned. Recently a 23 quart pressure canner from Presto was selling very cheap at Amazon. I finally got one at $80 and it was free shipping.

Here is a link that might be useful: Pressure canners at Amazon