Tomatoes decided to start growing out of my ears, cabinets, shelves, and other places. Yes, my kitchen is starting to look like a grizzly crime scene...knives, red juice, boiling water...it is that time of year...the time to can tomatoes. City hubby makes the world's best tomato sauce. The following is top secret... his key ingredient is...tomatoes. I am attempting this year to put up enough tomatoes to keep him happily in sauce for the year. I am not making sauce, I am canning quartered San Marizano tomatoes.
This process in the past has seemed much more difficult, but this year I found my stride...the secret of easily slipping off the tomato skins...the X at the bottom of each tomato before putting it in the hot water. Who kept these secrets from me for so long...
So here is the process...
Wash the tomatoes...make sure there are no bruises, nibble marks (dratted chipmunks), etc...
Cut a little X at the bottom of each tomato...
Place tomatoes in boiling water for about one minute...
Then scoop out each tomato and put it in ice water...
Remove the skin and core...put in the jar with the correct amount of acid...
I added a little boiling water to make the head space correct.
Place on the lid and band and process in hot water.
As always...don't take my word for it...consult the professionals...Putting Food By...or The Ball Blue Book.
The initial cost of purchasing the jars (I got 12 jars for $8.99 or $0.75 each) is the main cost in canning home grown tomatoes...but after the first year, the jars pay for themselves in fresh, homemade food...
Lets do a cost analysis
$0.75 for a jar
Compost for potting the seeds-free
$2.50 for a package of seeds (purchased 3 years ago- tomato seeds are indestructible, so prorated for 3 yrs it cost $0.83/yr and I have about enough tomatoes for 40 pints so $0.02/pint)
$4.49 for lemon juice ($0.14/Tablespoon)
So not counting cost of labor (me) or the cost of the natural gas (to heat water etc) one jar of tomatoes cost about $0.91 per pint...The conventional tomatoes cost $1.00 when on sale and the organic ones cost about $2.00, so the jar pays for itself the first time you use it!
Your tomatoes look great! Canned tomatoes are quite expensive when they're not on sale. I hope someday I'll have a big enough garden to can tomatoes. This year we only had enough for eating fresh, and making one pot of spaghetti sauce. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, I am loving this idea!
ReplyDeleteWe were knee deep in tomatoes some time ago, it's nice to have it finally done. Won't this bit of summer be so lovely come winter! ahhh...
I am so enjoying reading about everyone's harvests. We are already frosted and everything is pulled for the winter. Thanks for iinstructions. So helpful.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog and can't wait to use some of your canning recipes next year when I finally have a real garden.
ReplyDeleteI'd highly recommend the books Putting Food By and the Ball Book of Preserving...they are the ones I use. Always make sure to use a standard CANNING recipe to insure optimal saftey!
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