Salsa canning recipe with FRESH tomatoes (& how to SAFELY customize canned salsa!)

The best salsa recipe is always going to be a matter of your own taste, which is why I want people to understand how to safely make substitutions and adjustments to home canning recipes! Most sources will say you have to follow canning recipes EXACTLY – but if you dig a little deeper, there are plenty of adjustments that can be made without risk.

##📝 RECIPE (based on "Fresh Vegetable Salsa" from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving: geni.us/bTGX8A9)
3 lbs Roma or paste tomatoes (other tomatoes are fine, but paste tomatoes have less water and more pectin than other tomatoes so they provide the best texture)
4 cups total of seeded peppers, chopped onions, or finely chopped garlic - as much or as little of each as you want, so long as your total doesn’t exceed 4 cups
1 (5.5 oz) can of tomato paste
1 cup of red wine vinegar with at least 5% acidity
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste, I prefer no salt

Lay peppers and garlic on a foil-lined baking sheet and pierce them. Broil for 8 minutes on each side, or roast over a flame, and then wrap the peppers in foil or place in a bowl with foil on top to steam them. The skins should remove easily after several minutes of steaming. Remove most of the seeds as well and chop the roasted peppers.

Core tomatoes and broil for 15 minutes. Remove tomato skins and then either chop them before adding them to a pot along with everything else except the cilantro, or add everything to the pot and use an immersion blender to break up the tomatoes. Bring to a boil for 15 minutes and add the cilantro during the last 5 minutes of cooking. Then follow the canning instructions below.

*Canning Details*
*Jar size:* About 10 half-pint jars or 5 pint jars
*Canning processing time:* 20 minutes for either jar size
*Head space:* 1/2 inch

Universal Water-Bath Canning Instructions

Inspect your jars, rings, and lids for any chips or damage, then wash in hot soapy water and rinse well. Dry the rings and lids with a clean towel.

Place jars into canner (with the canner lid on) and bring the water up to a gentle simmer at 180ºF (do not boil); or just starting to steam at 140ºF for raw packed foods. To prevent hard water buildup, add a splash of vinegar to the water.

When your recipe is ready and while it’s still hot, one at a time remove jars from hot water and fill them. Leave the correct amount of headspace and remove air bubbles with a non-metallic tool. Wipe the jar rims with warm water or vinegar, then place lids and rings on and twist until fingertip tight.

Return each jar to the canner after it’s filled. Add the canner lid and bring to a full boil or full steam temperature, depending on your recipe, and start your processing timer.

After the processing time is over, leave the jars in the canner for 10 minutes to prevent siphoning. Leave the jars on a counter undisturbed for 12-24 hours, and do not touch the seal or tighten the rings.

After 12-24 hours, remove the ring and test the seal by carefully lifting the jar by the lid. If everything has sealed, wash the jars and lids and label with the product name, date, and batch number if applicable.

If any did not seal, you can either reprocess immediately or refrigerate or freeze the contents, depending on what’s inside, and use that first.

Store with the ring off or very loose in a dark, cool place.

👀 FEATURED IN THIS VIDEO

🛁 Stainless Steel Canner with Rack: geni.us/r9wPV
🍝 Immersion Blender: geni.us/SimpleImmersionBlender
📕 Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving: geni.us/bTGX8A9
🎗️ Canning Essentials Accessory Set: geni.us/IBlH1
🔪 Utility Knife: geni.us/ShunUtilityKnife
🔌 Electric Single Burner Cooktop: geni.us/ElectricCooktop
🫙 Weck .5 Liter Jars: geni.us/UeBCX


📚 SOURCES

🧪 Tested Safe Modifications: pierce.extension.wisc.edu/files/2014/10/Substititi…
📕 Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving: geni.us/bTGX8A9

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⏰ TIMESTAMPS

00:00 Safe Modifications
00:40 Ingredients
01:28 Roasting Ingredients
02:28 Cooking the Salsa
02:53 Canning

🙃 RANDOM DETAILS

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🔔 DISCLOSURE

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