NCHFP says 22 lbs to make 7 quarts (processed). But dry measure 8 quarts is 1 peck, so if you have a peck or half peck basket you can just measure that minus a quart (2 dry pints). I've got a generous 1/2 peck of tomatoes on my counter, just weighed them and got 6 lbs 3 oz. Took a couple plums out (fit in a pint clamshell with lid closed) and went down to 5 lbs 14 oz. So I'd say 7 dry quarts are probably just under 12 lbs. HTH. BTW, NCHFP has a recipe that can be BWB - no more than 3C of low-acid veggies for 22 lbs of tomatoes so not quite as nice as Shirley's but an option for those of use w/o a PC. I find that if I make it in the same (unrinsed) pot after I stick Annie's Salsa in the canner it picks up that spicy flavor (though I scrape the pot pretty clean - any salsa that doesn't fit in the canner goes in the fridge and doesn't last a day). Also a good way to use up any excess/partial peppers and onions that got chopped up for salsa (if you happen to have any tomatoes left that didn't get used in the salsa LOL!). I throw in the seeds and goo left over from peeling/deseeding the tomatoes for salsa too, since you're going to strain it out anyway. I usually am lucky to have just a pint or 2 of "Goo juice" to can after making salsa - most of the time DH drinks it fresh. Also nice that the cooking time (20 min) meshes nicely with the processing time for Annie's so once I pull the salsa out of the canner I can quickly warm the jars (if I didn't have empties in the canner with the salsa) and put the juice in the canner while the water is still hot. Saves on the electric bill ;-) Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP Veggie Juice Cocktail

I've never used citric acid, only 1 tsp white vinegar per pint, 2 per quart. Everyone mentions salt. There's a HUGE difference between iodized and non-iodized salt. Never use iodized. The iron (iodized) will add cloudiness and an "off" or bitter taste to any and everything you can. I use NON-iodized salt - 1 tsp per pint, 2 tsp per quart (Vinegar and Salt - because there's usually NOT enough alkalinity in your garden soil for your veggies to have the proper amount of acid). I like the idea of the tabasco, celery, black pepper and vodka!!!! If already processed, you can process again, remember to wash and sterilize your jars, etc again. For those who use sugar, be sure to mention that a little goes a long way. You don't want to taste the sugar, just a tiny bit to make the adjustment. I don't like to use it personally. :o) I've been canning about 35 years.

Hilde was a busy bee with my canner... Sunday she brought it back with V8 juice, ketchup, chili con carne, pizza sauce, etc! It even came back cleaner than when she took it! I still have a gallon of puree frozen at a friend's house, plus everything in the basement freezer still. Plus plants are still producing. Maybe next up will be the tomato garlic soup. I asked the puree volume question (also see this thread: Is this pizza sauce recipe for canning safe? to 2 different places, one was that edu canning site (Elizabeth Andress/National Center for HFP) and the other was Ball/Jarden. Since the one has a Confidentially Disclaimer, I'll post Ball's reply below; basically, I asked this: > question -> I processed in an electric tomato strainer (Spremy) an unknown amount of homegrown heirloom tomatoes. The Spremy removes the skin & seeds and delivers a puree-like juice.... I have 8 gallons of this, fresh and uncooked in any way, some refrigerated and some frozen. How would I adapt volume (gallons, quarts, etc) to your recipes which are often based on pounds or cups of tomatoes? I would like to make pizza sauce, spaghetti sauce, V8 type juice, etc, but don't know how much of this puree/juice to use when your recipes call for pounds or bushels or cups of tomatoes. Ball's reply, to me, sounds like you prep/measure the puree based on the final yield. Here's their reply: Thank you for your message. For pizza and spaghetti sauce: puree tomatoes, cook pulp (puree) until it is reduced by one-half. Measure 7 quarts (or volume equal to recipe yield) and add other ingredients as instructed in recipe, process according to recipe. For juice: puree tomatoes, measure 7 quarts (or volume equal to recipe yield) and add other ingredients as instructed in recipe, process according to recipe. We hope this is helpful and appreciate you contacting us. Sincerely, Consumer Affairs Jarden Home Brands

I went back into my mailbox, scary though it may be, I found the 10 email replies to that post, and here's the bit about v-8 type juice... instar8, Campbell's orignal V8 consisted (and consists) of the following 'V' ingredients, listed in decending order (I think) of representation in the mix: tomato beet celery carrot lettuce parsley watercress, and lastly spinach Of those that were not in my mix, I would likely go with parsley and spinach. (ONLY the flat-leaf type parsley, NOT the curly type thas is suitable [ IMHO ] only for garnishment). However, in too great a concentration, some of the leafy greens can clash with other ingredients, esp if they have some bitterness. If you want to get a wee bit adventurous, try making a few batches of 'V8' with fresh cilantro being one item in the mix. But overall, I want the tomato taste in V8's concotion to be dominant. I see some home recipies (I guess for immediate consumption) for V-8 calling for ingredients such as horseradish, Worchestershire sauce, wasabi (kidding on that one), etc. Items like that can be added when the jar is opened, if deemed sutable for the cocktail mix. Reg instar8, funny about the V-8 style juice you mention. I canned at least 25 qts of it. I used tomatoes, celery, red-beet root, carrot root and serrano peppers (thus V-5, I suppose... all but the celery was from my plot). Now a word to ya about this as well. Before you commence canning this V-8 stuff in mass, first taste-test your proposed recipe (seems to me that you have done enuf of such activities that you would). I used 2 serrano peppers per qt (this is too spicy for some -- some may not like any pepper at all in it). Also a full stalk of celery, one medium carrot and beet per qt (all raw). The red-beet root really imparted a deep crimson color to the mix. And the carrots I used were 'Purple Haze.' Their juice was also rather, well, purple. Reg