Instructions

1. Select disease-free tomatoes. Tomatoes should be picked from the vine before a frost or before a vine dies back or the pH of the tomato can be higher than is acceptable. Safe canning is done with ripe, disease-free fruit from a live, healthy vine.

2. Wash the tomatoes in water. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Use a thong to dip each of the tomatoes into the boiling water for up to 60 seconds, until the skin splits. Dip the tomatoes in cold water and slip off the skins. Core the tomatoes.

3. Wash the canning jars and prepare the lids according to the directions supplied by the manufacturer. Add 1/2 tsp. of citric acid in each quart jar, or 1/4 tsp. in each pint jar. To offset the acid taste, you can add 1 to 2 tsp. of sugar. Place the tomatoes in the jars, leaving a gap of 1/4 inch from the top of the jar. If you don't want to use critic acid, you can use 4 tbsp. of 5 percent acid vinegar per quart jar. Note that the vinegar can cause undesirable changes in the taste of the tomato product.

4. Dry the lips of the jars. Apply the lids to the jars, ensuring a good seal. Place the rack and 2 inches of water into the pressure canner. Add the jars to the rack. Close the lid of the pressure canner and fasten it. Place the pressure canner on the stove and turn the burner to high heat. After the steam has been coming out of the pressure canner for 10 minutes, close the steam at the gauge and start pressurizing the canner and jars. Time the process according to your elevation and the type of tomato product (salsa, soup, tomato halves) you are canning.

5. Remove the pressure canner from the heat when the time is up. The canner must cool down to depressurize (i.e., the gauge must be at zero) before you open it and take the jars out. After you remove the jars, let them sit for 12 to 24 hours to air-cool.

6. Check the lids for a good seal after the jars cool. Unwind the lid bands and check the seals. If the lid seal has an indent, it is sealed and ready to label and store. If the lid is not indented, it is not properly sealed, in which case you should determine if the jar or lid was defective and repeat steps 4 and 5 using a new lid seal, jar or band.