Tomatoes Tart and Tasty!

1. Tomatoes Tart and Tasty! August 31, 2009

2. Resources for Today • Tomatoes Tart and Tasty (B2605) • Canning Salsa Safely (B3570)

3. Many Options for Preserving Tomatoes: • Water Bath Canning • Pressure Canning • Freezing • Drying

4. Tomato Acidity Varies • Type of tomato • Conditions during the growing season • Soil in which the plants are grown

5. Tomatoes

6. Other Factors that Affect Tomato Acidity • Tomato juices are less acidic than tomato solids • Over-ripe tomatoes will decrease overall acidity • Adding low-acid ingredients will decrease acidity • Canning itself can decrease acidity

7. All Tomatoes are not Created Equal.. • Don’t can over-ripe, damaged or decayed tomatoes • Don’t can tomatoes exposed to frost or harvested from frost-killed vines • Don’t can late season tomatoes ripened indoors

8. Add acid to all canned tomatoes!

9. How much acid do I add?

10. Hints for a Safe, High Quality Tomato Product • Process using the hot-pack method • Consider processing tomatoes separately from low-acid ingredients • Add meat only where directed • Don’t thicken tomato products before processing

11. Watch those Recipes! Tomatoes in Water Sort and wash tomatoes. Remove skins. Raw pack into clean, hot canning jars, leaving ½-inch head space. Add acid and hot water. Process. Quarts - Boiling water – 50 min Dial gauge–10 min (11 psi) Weighted gauge–10 min (15 psi) Tomatoes in Juice Sort and wash tomatoes. Skin. Pack tomatoes into clean, hot canning jars. Cover with hot tomato juice, leaving ½-inch headspace. Add acid. Process. Quarts – Boiling water – 90 min Dial gauge-25 min (11 psi) Weighted gauge-25 min (15 psi)

12. Salsa: Main Ingredients • Ripe, undamaged tomatoes (paste or slicing varieties) • Or tomatillos – Mexican husk tomatoes • Peppers – fiery to mild

13. Other Ingredients • Onions and garlic • Acid – vinegar, lemon, lime juice • Spices and herbs

14. Canning Salsa • Prepare the water bath • Prepare jars and lids • Gather ingredients

15. To prepare the tomatoes • Wash & make “x”-shaped slit in skin at the base. • Dip tomatoes into boiling water for 30-60 seconds; then dip immediately into cold water. • Slip the skins off the tomatoes & core them. • Chop the tomatoes into small pieces. Measure out the required amount.

16. To prepare the peppers • Caution: Wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. Wash hands thoroughly before touching your face or eyes. • Wash peppers & cut lengthwise. Remove stems & white membranes. Remove seeds; the more seeds you remove, the milder the salsa will be. • Chop the peppers into small pieces. Measure out the required amount.

17. To prepare the onions & garlic • Remove outer skin of onion & garlic cloves. • Wash & cut away tough stem or root parts. • Chop into small pieces. • Measure out the required amount of each.

18. Processing the Salsa • Follow the recipe for cooking time • Hot pack into hot pint jars – air bubbles, headspace, wipe • Boiling water bath for time stated in recipe • Start timing when water boils

19. Common Questions • Favorite cookbook recipes • Salsa is too thin • Substituting peppers • Adding more onions or garlic • Pressure canning salsa

20. Time for Salsa!