Have you ever wondered how to can tomatoes? Everything you need to know with step by step directions for how to preserve your homegrown tomatoes.
Canning tomatoes isn't difficult and it's a great way to use your homegrown tomatoes all year long!
Canning tomatoes
The past few weekends have been busy with canning tomatoes, making tomato sauce and making oven roasted tomatoes. We ended up with a great tomato crop this year and were able to put up a lot of canned tomatoes to last us through the winter months.
Canning tomatoes allows you to take tomatoes at the peak of their season and preserve them to use all year long. There's nothing better than growing your own tomatoes and then canning them to store in your pantry.
If you are new to canning, you'll want to read How to Water Bath Can before you begin!
Key ingredients
- Tomatoes - You can use just about any variety of tomatoes. We grow a lot of different varieties and we use them all. I do avoid using our cherry tomatoes because you do need to peel these tomatoes and peeling cherry tomatoes is too time consuming. They are best just popping in your mouth!
- Don't use tomatoes from dead or frost killed vines.
- Lemon juice - Needed to make certain the acid level is high enough in the tomatoes. If the level is too low, it isn't safe to can using a hot water bath method. This is one of the few times I recommend using bottled lemon juice. The acidity level of bottle lemon juice is consistent.
- Salt - Adding salt is optional and I usually don't add it to my canned tomatoes. If you do add salt, make certain your are using canning salt and not regular table salt.
How many tomatoes do I need?
On average you will need about 21 pounds of tomatoes to can 7 quarts.
Step by step directions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a few tomatoes at a time
- Remove tomatoes and add to ice water
- Peel skins and chop tomatoes into large chunks. Remove stem. The size you cut your tomatoes is up to you. You could also leave tomatoes whole, as long as they fit into your canning jars.
- Add lemon juice and salt (if using) to each canning jar. Add tomatoes
- Boil another pot of water. Add boiling water to each jar leaving a ½ inch headspace. Slide a debubbler or a plastic knife around the inside of the jar to help remove trapped bubbles. You can also bang jars gently on surface of counter to help remove bubbles.
- Wipe top of jars with a clean, wet cloth
- Put lid on top of jar and screw on band
- Place jar in a large pot half filled with water. When all jars are in pot, add enough water so jars are covered by 1 inch of water. Cover pot and bring to a boil. Turn heat down so the pot maintains a boil and boil for 45 minutes for quarts and 40 minutes for pint sized jars. Adjust boil time for your elevation using the chart below.
Altitude adjustment
| Altitude Feet | Increase Processing Time |
|---|---|
| 1,001- 3,000 3,001- 6,000 6,001- 8,000 8,001-10,000 | 5 minutes 10 minutes 15 minutes 20 minutes |
- After full processing time, remove jars from pot and place on a baking rack. Let jars cool for 12 hours. Test each lid to to make certain each jar has sealed.
- Remove bands and wash outside of jars in warm soapy water. Dry jars and label each jar with contents and date.
- Store in a cool dark place.
Equipment for canning
- Canning Jars
- Jar Lifter and canning tools
- Hot water bath pot
- Canning lids - if you already have jars
Frequently asked questions
This is up to you depending on what jars you have available and what size tomatoes you want to can. If you are wanting to can whole tomatoes, you will want to use wide-mouth jars.
During the canning process, some of the liquid from the jars is often forced out of the jar. The jars will have a bit of the residue on the jars and can be sticky. Washing the jars before storing helps keep the jars from growing any bacteria on the outside of the jar.
I always store my canning jars without the canning bands. If the contents have gone bad, the canning lid will often become unsealed. You can spot this easily when the jar does not have a band. If the contents become cloudy, bubbly, moldy or develop an off smell, discard all contents and do not eat.
Canned tomatoes are safe to eat for many years. However, the quality of the tomatoes are best eaten within one year of canning. Always check each jar when opening to make certain there isn't an off odor or any mold or bubbling of the tomatoes before eating.
Canning Tips
- Wash canning lids in warm soapy water. Place lids in a dish with plain hot water before using. You do not need to boil your lids before using.
- Examine jars for any defects, especially along rim. Do not use for canning if you find any chips or cracks.
- Use good quality tomatoes. Do not use if rotting or moldy.
- Processing times vary because boiling time varies depending on your elevation. Always adjust processing times for your elevation (see chart)
Safe canned food
Improperly home canned food can carry the risk of causing botulism. If eaten, this can cause a serious form of food poisoning that can lead to paralysis or death. Please follow safety procedures and inspect your food before consuming.
- Always inspect your home canned food before eating
- If in doubt, throw it out!!! The FDA recommends throwing out the food and the jar.
- Do not taste if in doubt!
- Throw it out if -
- the can is bulging, leaking or swollen
- the container looks damaged or abnormal
- the container spurts liquid or foam when opened
- the food is moldy, discolored or smells bad
- the seal is no longer intact when you examine the food
To use canned tomatoes
You can use these canned tomatoes in any recipe calling for diced tomatoes or crushed tomatoes. Depending on the recipe, you may need to first drain the tomatoes.
Some of my favorite recipe that include canned tomatoes:
More canning recipes
- Canning carrots
- Canning dried beans
- Blackberry jam
- Orange marmalade
- Apricot jam
- Smoked Fish
- Canning Peaches
At the end of your gardening season, don't let those green tomatoes go to waste! Make this savory green tomato relish!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my canning recipes here!
Listen to the recipe
You can listen to all the steps on how to can tomatoes on the podcast Preserving the Pantry! Just click on the play button below to listen now!
How to Can Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 2-3 pounds tomatoes (per quart)
- 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (per quart)
- ½ teaspoon salt (per quart, optional)
Instructions
- Blanch and peel tomatoes
- Chop tomatoes into desired size
- Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to each canning jar.
- Add ½ teaspoon of salt to each quart jar (optional)
- Add chopped tomatoes
- Pour boiling water over tomatoes. Fill making certain you leave ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles by running a debubbler or plastic knife around inside of jar and tapping bottom of jar gently against counter.
- Wipe rim of jars clean and add lid and band
- Place jar in a water bath canning pot half filled with warm water. Add additional water so the water cover the jars by 1-2 inches.
- Cover pot and bring to a roiling boil. Once boiling, lower temperature so there is a gentle but steady boil. Boil quarts for 45 minutes and pints for 40 minutes. (Add additional time for your altitude - see below)
- Remove jars from canner and place on a towel or a baking rack to cool. Do not touch jars or tighten lids until at least 12 hours.
- After jars have cooled, check lids for a proper seal by pressing on the center of each lid. The lids should not have any give in the center. Remove bands wipe down jars to remove any residue. Label and store in a cool, dark place.
Notes
- Can use ½ teaspoon citric acid in place of the lemon juice
- If using pint jars add 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- Adjust recipe based on amount of tomatoes you have available and on the size of your canning pot.
- Wash canning lids in warm soapy water. Place lids in a dish with plain hot water before using. You do not need to boil your lids before using.
- Examine jars for any defects, especially along rim. Do not use for canning if you find any chips or cracks.
- Use good quality tomatoes. Do not use if rotting or moldy.
- Always adjust processing times for your elevation:
- 1,001- 3,000 ft. - add 5 minutes
- 3,001- 6,000 ft. - add 10 minutes
- 6,001- 8,000 ft. - add 15 minutes
- 8,001-10,000 ft. - add 20 minutes
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Jessica says
How long will these keep? Months or years?
Kathy says
Hi Jessica,
According to the National Center Home Food Preservation, "Properly canned food stored in a cool, dry place will retain optimum eating quality for at least 1 year. Canned food stored in a warm place near hot pipes, a range, a furnace, or in indirect sunlight may lose some of its eating quality in a few weeks or months, depending on the temperature. Dampness may corrode cans or metal lids and cause leakage so the food will spoil." Please read my tips in the post about how to check your home canned food before consuming.
Kathy
Chloe Avila says
Does the lemon juice have to be bottled or is fresh lemon juice fine?
Kathy says
For canning you need to use bottled lemon juice. The reason is that the acidity level in lemons varies and might not be enough to make your tomatoes safe for water bath canning. In all other areas of cooking, I use fresh lemons. In canning I use bottled.
Lochie says
Can you use lime juice
Kathy says
Yes, you can use bottled lime juice. Lime juice is actually just slightly more acidic than lemon juice so it will work fine when canning.
Kathy
Vanessa says
Good morning. Could I add fresh basil to each jar? How much for pint/quart? Thank you?
Kathy says
Hi Vanessa,
You can add fresh basil. I'd add 1-2 leaves to each quart jar. You can add whole or chopped.
Enjoy,
Kathy 🙂
Peggy says
Why lemon juice ,I just use tomatoes basil parsley salt I have great results also I use cherry tomatoes or compari tomatoes make the best sauce
Kathy says
Hi Peggy,
The lemon juice ensures the tomatoes are at the proper acidity level making them safe for water bath canning. You do not taste the lemon juice at all.
Kathy