Never canned before - canning tomatoes?

15 years ago

I've never canned before and I'm not sure starting while in a smallish apt kitchen is the time to start - but tomatoes are my VERY FAVORITE thing, and while buying some for gazpacho at a farm market they had boxes of "canning tomatoes"........I lusted.........

how hard is it?

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Comments (8)

kframe19
15 years ago
Not hard at all, really.

But, attention to detail and the directions is EVERYTHING.

If you don't pay attention to the details and the directions, you run the risk of cooking up some VERY nasty, and potentially deadly, pathogens.

Go to Amazon and buy yourself the Blue canning and preserving book.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ball Canning Book
lpinkmountain
15 years ago
Mary I have a tiny kitchen and am a total klutz. Canning is one of the easiest things going. Can you wash dishes, boil water and chop stuff up? Then you can can. Tomatoes are also one of the easiest "vegetables" to can because they are really a fruit. What do you want to can--salsa, marinara sauce or just plain tomatoes?

Use the search function, there's a whole recent thread on canning tomato sauce. But you can also do whole or chopped tomatoes, plain.

There are a ton of canners here and on the Harvest forum who will be glad to help. You "can" do it! I'd better warn you though, it's addicting!

Here is a link that might be useful: Nat'l Center for Home Preservation - How to Can Tomatoes
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readinglady
15 years ago
Tomatoes are one of the best "starter" products. In February you will relish the flavor of a product you put up with your own hands. Nothing like it.

At first there's a certain amount of coordination involved. Begin small and make sure you've gathered everything you need before you start.

The easiest and cheapest method for tomatoes is to use a boiling water bath. You need a good large kettle or enamel canner with a rack. The rack can be homemade as long as it keeps the jars off the bottom. It's also helpful to have a jar lifter. Gloves, of course. And the jars and lids.

The NCHFP site posted above is the most reliable online resource. There aren't many questions that can't be answered by going there. But you can always ask here on Cooking or on Harvest. There are lots of Harvest members happy to respond to novice questions.

Good luck and happy preserving,

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Harvest Forum
shirleywny5
15 years ago
Canning tomatoes are usually 2nd's. That means they are blemished in some way. Wholesale buyers want perfect tomatoes as you see in the supermarkets. The canners are probably a great price but usually they must be processed within a day or two. Check them over as soon as you get them home. They may need to be sorted as some may be quite ripe. Some are just odd shaped.
I sell tomatoes at the Farmer's market and I tell buyers to go through the canners as soon as they get home. Some may be canned today and others can wait a day or two.
bunnyman
15 years ago
Freezing is an alternative that works. Annie started me on that a couple years ago knowing I have little time or energy to put into it. Works great and I only have the small freezer unit built in my fridge. Last year I was able to fit 20 quart bags stuffed full which took up about a third of my freezer space. Fast and easy. I learned to make a flat spot and freeze them a couple quarts at a time. Once they are flat frozen bricks they stack neat without sticking to each other.

: )
lyra
loagiehoagie
15 years ago
I'm another fan of freezing. Easier and you can put whatever you want in the recipe without worrying about the correct amount of acid etc. Nothing wrong with canning, but since I have 3 freezers and the occasional situation where we lose power for a day doesn't phase those rock hard frozen bags/jars.

Duane
kandm
15 years ago
I never ever, ever put tomatoes into the fridge or the freezer. If they drop below 50 degrees a key flavor compound called (Z)-3-dexenal is ruined permanently.
loagiehoagie
15 years ago
I'm sure your info is correct, however after making my pasta sauce and freezing I have never noticed any lack of flavor. It could be because of all the spices etc. that I use when cooking down my sauce. Many people have said it is the best pasta sauce they have ever eaten. Processing in a HWB to me ruins the flavor much more than freezing IMHO.

To each their own.

Duane