How to Can Whole Tomatoes

Prepare quart jars and lids:

1. Wash and sterilize canning jars.
2. Place the canning lids in a pan of warm water on the stovetop. Bring the water just to a boil and simmer until ready to use.
3. Add ½ teaspoon of citric acid or 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons salt to each sanitized quart jar before adding tomatoes.

Remove tomato skins:

1. Fill a large stockpot about half full with water and bring to a rolling boil. Add whole tomatoes about 5-10 at a time and boil for about 1 minute.
2. Using a slotted spoon, quickly remove the tomatoes and plunge in an icewater bath. This will make the skins easy to remove.
3. Peel the tomato skin off and using a sharp knife, core the tomatoes.

For whole tomatoes:

1. Add tomatoes directly to jars.
2. Use a spoon to gently press the tomatoes down and fill in any large gaps and remove air bubbles.
3. Leave about 1/2" airspace at the top, this is a raw pack so no additional water needs to be added to cover the tomatoes.

Now it's time to process:

1. Make sure jar rims, lids and rings are clean before placing the lids on the mouth of the jars. I recommend using a paper towel with white vinegar.
2. Place the lids on and gently screw on the rings-- not too tight, just snug.
3. Process the jars in a water-bath and process accordingly depending on your altitude: 85 minutes for up to 1,000 feet, 90 minutes for 1,001-3,000 feet, 95 minutes for 3,001-6,000 feet, and 100 minutes for 6,000+ feet.(see post instructions above for hot pack and raw pack with water methods)
4. After jars have been processed, remove from canner and allow to cool naturally to room temp. Check seals (making sure the lid has popped down) before storing long-term.