Canning for the First Time

I recently spent a glorious, crisp late afternoon with a good friend, which is enough fun in and of itself. But we didn't just chat and laugh and drink Diet Coke like any old time. (Well, I guess we did do all of that.)  But, we also canned 9 quarts of tomatoes!  

This is incredibly exciting to me.  I have wanted to acquire this skill for the longest time, but never knew quite how to learn.  Well, it just so happens, that I recently discovered that my friend and neighbor, who I see just about everyday, has been canning for her entire life with her mother and grandmother.  What do you know?  Practically in my own backyard.

I went to the local farmer's market and bought a box of canning tomatoes.  They had some blemishes on them which are cut off during the process and makes the tomatoes less expensive.  I am pleased to say that I did add some of my own tomatoes to the mix, which will make them taste all the better, I'm sure!

We started by washing out the jars and placing them in the oven on a cookie sheet at 250.  We left them in the entire time it took to prepare the tomatoes.  Also at this time we put the lids in a saucepan to boil on the stove.  This sanitizes them. 

Next we rinsed the tomatoes and put them in a clean sink filled with scalding hot water. This kills bacteria in addition to making the skins split open so it peels off easily.

    

Notice the steam coming off of the water?

After the skins split, say 10-12 minutes or so, take the tomatoes out one at a time, peel the skins, cut out the core and the bad spots, and cut it up coarsely.  It goes directly into a big pot.

See how the tomatoes are all still chunky?  Next, bring these pots to a boil.  It is important to stir constantly so the tomatoes don't scald.  (If they do, that's grounds for throwing the whole batch away because they will have a burnt taste.  Yuck.)  As they boil, the tomatoes will start to break down.  The liquid will look milky and frothy while this is happening, but will eventually go back to being clear.

We let them boil for probably a half an hour or 45 minutes.  When they are almost completely broken down and the liquid is clear, then they are ready to go in the jars.

It is important to remove the jars from the oven using a clean towel, and to not touch the rim at all with your fingers.  We poured the tomatoes into the jar using a canning funnel. The trick is to fill it no fuller than the bottom of the funnel.  When it is filled, get a lid (from the boiling pot of water) with a fork and dry it with a clean towel.  Also, dry the rim of the jar with a clean towel. Again, no fingers on anything. 

Once the lid and screw cap are on, pick the jar up very carefully and upright and screw the lid on as tight as you can possibly get it.  Set it on the counter very carefully, and wait for the lid to pop!  (That sound became music to my ears...)

This method is called Open-Kettle canning.  I suppose it's because you cook the tomatoes in an open kettle?  

Even after the lids have popped, the jars need to remain in the same place for 24 hours. After that, they can be moved to storage and enjoyed for as long as they last! (Mine are still on my counter, because they are so darn cute to look at...)

Doesn't this seem like a very September-ish thing to do?   I hope you are all enjoying your September in your own special ways!

Comments

[Emily]

Nice step by step instructions. How great to have a stocked pantry!

[Beth Williams]

Very cool ... well, actually, probably scalding hot! Thanks for your recent comment on my blog ... would love to get together sometime soon and quilt or chat or both. (I laid out my quilt pieces on the floor last Saturday, left them unattended, and the cat "repositioned" them all. Back to the drawing board! Glad the microscope is a hit!

[Heather@WoolandFlax]

What a treat to have freshly canned tomatoes all winter!

[Ellen]

Oh, I love your tutorial. It makes something 'scary' sound easy. How many jars did you end up getting? And...do you think she'd be willing to teach me sometime too?

[Moneau, Dave, Aaron and Lizzie]

Kristen: Just one more class time of canning and you'll be on your own. Can't wait to try applesauce......the fun and talk were the most fun.