Description
Learn how to can tomatoes safely and easily with this step-by-step beginner’s guide. Preserve your garden’s summer bounty into delicious, shelf-stable jars that stay fresh for up to 18 months while retaining 95% of their nutrition.
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 lbs fresh tomatoes (Roma, San Marzano, or beefsteak)
- 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice (or 1/2 tsp citric acid per quart)
- 1 tsp canning or kosher salt (optional)
- Water, for blanching and canning
Instructions
- Wash tomatoes under cool water, removing stems and blemishes.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and prepare a separate bowl of ice water.
- Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 30–60 seconds, then transfer to ice bath.
- Peel off skins, remove cores, and chop tomatoes to desired size.
- Sterilize canning jars by boiling for 10 minutes; keep warm until ready to fill.
- Combine chopped tomatoes, lemon juice, and optional salt in a large pot. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Fill jars with hot tomato mixture, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles.
- Wipe rims clean, apply lids, and screw on bands fingertip tight.
- Process jars in a boiling water bath for 45 minutes (quarts) or 40 minutes (pints). Adjust for altitude if needed.
- Cool jars 12–24 hours, check seals, and store in a cool, dark place.
Notes
Always use bottled lemon juice or citric acid for consistent acidity. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark location up to 18 months. Once opened, refrigerate and use within 5–7 days.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Preserving
- Method: Water Bath Canning
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 40
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 9g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: canning tomatoes, how to can tomatoes, tomato canning for beginners, preserving tomatoes, water bath canning, homemade canned tomatoes