Canned Tomatoes

My mom has found a pretty quick and easy way to can tomatoes. This recipe can be turned into chili juice or salsa. 

Start by washing all your tomatoes. We did a small batch today. We only had about a gallon-size bucket of tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes into four quarters and place in a blender. Blend them (do not peel the tomatoes). 

Place in a big cooking pot. (This amount of tomatoes filled up to the 4-quart line of the pot.)

Put a little bit of the juice in the bottom of the blender. Add a couple of jalapeno peppers.

Then add about 3 cloves of garlic, an onion, a few stalks of celery, and a green pepper. Blend that up and add to the tomato juice. 

Add about 2 Tablespoons of sugar and 1-2 Tablespoons of salt. 

Stir and cook down on the stove. Let it simmer for 45 minutes to an hour. 

Wash all of your jars. In a small saucepan, boil some water. Place your lids in the boiling water. 

Pour the cooked down tomatoes into the jars using a funnel.  (I use a coffee mug to transfer the tomatoes to the funnel.) 

 

Wipe down the top of the jar with a small towel. Pull a hot lid from the boiling water and place on the jar. Tighten the lid. 

Immediately turn the jar upside down on a towel sitting on the counter. Let sit overnight (at least 12 hours). 

When you flip them over after sitting overnight, the jars will be sealed. 

***To turn this mixture into salsa, add tomato paste after the tomatoes have cooked down. Add enough until it reaches your desired thickness. Let that heat through and then place in the jars.