Canned Tomatoes, Cold Pack

With the warm weather late in the summer, the tomatoes are ripening on the vine. Last year I froze the tomatoes, by placing ripe, washed, dried and inspected tomatoes in a zip lock bag, 4 – 6 to a bag depending on size. When I defrosted them, the outer skin came off easily, and then they were perfect for using in dishes like chili and lasagna sauce. This year I am also doing some canning. The addition of lemon juice to the tomatoes, ensures that the tomatoes are acidic enough to be safely canned, and therefore you do not have to worry if the variety of tomatoes you have are acidic enough. I remove the skin from the tomatoes by broiling, but you can also remove them by blanching them in boiling water, and then cooling them in ice water. This recipe can be increased or decreased according to your tomato availability.

Canned Tomatoes, cold pack

6-quart canning jars, sterilized,

with lids and rings

3 cookie sheets of tomatoes,

approximately

1 teaspoon sea salt per jar X 6

1 tablespoon sugar per jar x 6

2 tablespoons lemon juice per jar x 6

Cut off the tops of the tomatoes, to remove a bit of the top core. Place the tomatoes, bottom up on a cookie sheet and broil for 5 minutes, and then flip and broil for another 4 minutes. Cool slightly and remove the skin. Repeat with the remaining tomatoes. Cut the de-skinned tomatoes into the jars, at the half way mark, add 1 teaspoon of sea salt, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of sugar per jar. Fill the rest of the jar to within 1/2 inch from the top. Stir to blend the seasoning, and remove air bubbles. As you are filling the jar, have a small of of water with the lids boiling, and boil for at least 5 minutes. Wipe the rim of each jar clean, and add the hot lid and ring. Repeat this process until all the jars are filled and closed. Add all the jars to a canner, filled with water to cover the jars, and bring the water to a boil and then process the jars in the canner with the lid for 45 minutes at sea level and 50 minutes above sea level. This area is generally above sea level. Remove the lid and let everything cool down for 5 or 10 minutes, and remove the jars, and allow to cool. The lids should suck down when the jars are cooled, meaning that you have an excellent seal. Any jars that do not seal, should be refrigerated and used in the next few days, or freeze the contents in a freezer safe container. You may see the tomatoes separate with a clear watery liquid on the bottom, and that is completely fine. You can shake them if you want, to blend, but it is not necessary.