Canning Tomatoes

My daughter-in-law and I were talking Sunday about processed foods and how much better off we would be if we eliminated them from out diet entirely.  Planting a garden and canning are great ways to make a stab at it. 

Are you starting to see some rewards from your garden?  I’m seeing green tomatoes and am so anxious.   I planted 8 tomato plants this year.  They had a two for 1 sale and I went a little crazy.  I’ve been thinking what I am going to do with all those tomatoes when they start to ripen.  I’ll have to can a lot of them.  I won’t have the freezer room for all of them.  I guess I’ll be making spaghetti, pizza and enchilada sauce for the winter.  Since Saylor can’t have gluten and the store bought has gluten in it, my pantry will benefit from the over buying tomato plants and canning them.

If you do not have a Kerr canning book, I highly recommend it.  I got mine years ago and it shows it.  It taught me how to can and I use it to this day.  I would guess that Ball has one too.  I love to go to auctions and have bought most of my canning supplies from auctions for little of nothing.  It can be pricy when you first start picking up jars and canning utensils and auctions or garage sales are a great way to cut corners.

Canned Tomatoes

This will be the base for my 3 recipes.

Wash and cut out the top core of your tomato.  Bring water to a boil in a large pot and drop in several tomatoes for less than a minute and take out with a slotted spoon when you see the skin split.  Fill your sink with cold water and plunge the tomatoes into the cold water to stop the cooking.  In the 2^nd sink, peel the tomatoes by pulling off the skin and squeeze them to deseed them.  The skins should come off easily.  Pack the whole tomato in a sterilized jar, filling the jar to 1 inch to the top.  If the tomatoes are too large, cut them up.  Add 1 tps. of salt and 1 tsp. of lemon to each jar.  Do not add any water but make sure they are packed tight.

Put on the lid making sure that the lip of the jar is clean and screw the band on tightly.  Process the jars in a boiling water bath (pints for 35 minutes and quarts for 45 minutes).  If they are low acid tomatoes you should process 10 minutes longer if you don’t want to add the lemon juice. If you don't know, put it in.

Make sure each jar has sealed after they have cooled.  If not, freeze it or put it in the refrigerator and use in next couple of days.

So here are my three recipes for canned spaghetti, pizza and enchilada sauce using your canned tomatoes that are gluten free. 

Pizza Sauce

4 quarts of homemade tomatoes

2 tsp. Kosher salt

3 cloves of garlic

1 tsp. pepper

1 tbs. olive oil

3 tbs. chopped basil

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. paprika

1 tbs. lemon juice

Hybrid tomatoes have lost their acidity, so I add a little lemon juice to add the acid back.  Add the lemon juice to your homemade tomato sauce if you have not done it when you canned them.  This is important for preserving process.

Puree your tomatoes in a food processor.

Chop your garlic into fine pieces.  Sauté until garlic is softened being careful not to over cook.  Only a minute is needed.  Add your pureed canned tomatoes, basil, oregano, paprika, salt and pepper.  Cook for 30 minutes until it is thick like a pizza sauce.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if you feel you need it. 

To process, ladle into your sterilized jar to within 1 inch of the top. I prefer pint sized jars.  Put on the lid making sure the lip of the jar is clean so it will seal properly and screw on the band tightly.  Process pint jars and quart jars for 60 minutes in a boiling water bath.  Once cooled, make sure that the lids have popped and sealed.   If they have not, freeze it or put it in the refrigerator and use in next couple of days.

If you have the freezer space you can freeze this in plastic baggies until you make your next pizza.

Spaghetti Sauce (A Simple Marinara Sauce)

2 tsp olive oil

1 sweet yellow onion

4 cloves of garlic minced

3 quarts of your homemade canned tomatoes

1 tbs. lemon juice

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup of fresh chopped basil

3 tbs. chopped oregano

Puree your tomatoes in a food processor.

Sauté your finely diced onion in 2 tsp. of olive oil until they are soft.  Add 4 finely chopped garlic gloves and sauté for another minute.  Add your pureed tomatoes and lemon juice to the sautéed onions and garlic. Add your chopped basil, oregano, salt and pepper.  If you are using dried herbs, cut the measurement in half.  Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.  If you like it sweet, you can add a bit of sugar.  I don’t add it to mine. 

Again, hybrid tomatoes do not have much acid so I add lemon to mine.   Most recipes do not call for it.  If you have some nice heirloom tomatoes taste and see if it is needed.  They are higher in acid.  You need the acid for the canning process.

To process, ladle into your sterilized jar to within 1 inch of the top.  Put on the lid making sure that the lip of the jar is clean and screw on the band tightly.  Process pint jars and quart jars for 60 minutes in a boiling water bath.  Once cooled, make sure that the lids have popped and sealed. 

This makes a great base to start a spaghetti.  You can add Italian sausage, meatballs and/or cheeses or it stands great alone.   Do not can with them though while canning or you will need to process in a pressure cooker.

  

Enchilada Sauce

I use corn tortillas which are gluten free, add a meat, Mexican blend cheeses and this sauce and you have a gluten free meal. For Saylor, we skip the cheese and he doesn't miss it.

2 tbs. olive oil

1 1/2 onions

5 garlic cloves

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano

4 quarts of canned tomatoes

1 tbs. fresh lime juice (you can substitute lemon)

Cayenne pepper to taste

1 tsp. Kosher salt

For prep work, chop your onions and garlic into fine pieces.  Puree your tomatoes.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté for a few minutes.  Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute.  Add your pureed tomatoes and lime juice.  Mix in the cumin, chili powder, dried oregano, and sauté 10 minute.  Season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper.

To process, ladle into your sterilized jar to within 1 inch of the top.  Put on the lid making sure that the lip of the jar is clean and screw on the band tightly.  Process pint jars and quart jars for 60 minutes in a boiling water bath.  Once cooled, make sure that the lids have popped and are sealed.  If not, put in the refrigerator and use in the next couple of days or you can freeze them.  

I can’t tell you the feeling I get when I have jars and jars of canned produce I’ve made myself on my shelves.  Like a squirrel, I’m ready for winter.  If I have unexpected quests and a box of spaghetti (I always keep gluten free spaghetti in my pantry), I’m ready to feed an army (4 grandsons, even though one has special diet restrictions of no gluten). 

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.