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Easy Step-by-Step Fresh Tomato Canning Guide for Perfect Homemade Preserves

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A simple and reliable method to preserve fresh tomatoes with minimal ingredients and equipment, capturing the peak summer flavor in jars for long-term storage.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 10 pounds fresh tomatoes (Roma or plum recommended)
  • 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice per quart jar
  • 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice per pint jar
  • 1 teaspoon non-iodized canning salt per quart jar
  • 1/2 teaspoon non-iodized canning salt per pint jar
  • Water (for blanching and filling jars)
  • Optional: fresh basil or oregano sprigs
  • Optional: garlic cloves
  • Optional: crushed red pepper flakes

Instructions

  1. Wash jars, lids, and screw bands in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Place jars in canner or large pot, cover with water, and bring to a simmer to sterilize. Keep jars hot until ready to fill. Heat lids in simmering water to soften sealing compound. (10-15 minutes)
  2. Rinse tomatoes under cool water. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Dip tomatoes into boiling water for 30-60 seconds until skins start to crack. Transfer immediately to ice water bath to cool. (15 minutes)
  3. Peel skins off cooled tomatoes, then core and quarter. Remove bruised spots or tough stems. (20-30 minutes)
  4. Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt to each quart jar, or 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon salt to each pint jar. Pack tomatoes tightly into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Use non-metallic spatula to remove air bubbles. Wipe rims clean and place lids and screw bands finger-tight. (30 minutes)
  5. Place jars in boiling water canner with water covering jars by at least 1 inch. Cover and bring to full rolling boil. Process pint jars for 40 minutes and quart jars for 45 minutes at sea level. Adjust for altitude if needed. (45-60 minutes)
  6. Remove jars carefully with jar lifter and place on towel or cooling rack. Let cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours until lids pop and seal. (12-24 hours)
  7. Remove screw bands and press lids to check seal. Label jars with date and store in cool, dark place. (10 minutes)

Notes

Do not skip lemon juice or citric acid to ensure safe acidity. Peel tomatoes after blanching for easier skin removal. Use a bubble remover tool to release trapped air bubbles. Maintain 1/2 inch headspace for proper vacuum sealing. Process jars at a full rolling boil. Listen for the ‘pop’ sound indicating a proper seal. Cool jars undisturbed to avoid seal failure. Optional herbs and spices can be added but maintain acidity levels. Adjust processing time for altitude if necessary.

Nutrition

Keywords: tomato canning, homemade preserves, fresh tomato recipe, water bath canning, preserving tomatoes, summer tomatoes, easy canning guide

Find it online: https://lirafood.com/easy-step-by-step-fresh-tomato-canning-guide-for-perfect-homemade-preserves/