Tomatoes are always in abundance around harvest time. The best part about this crop is its ability to store easily through pressure canning. A time saver in the kitchen, canning whole tomatoes gives your pantry a diverse selection when it comes to dinnertime. With the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, you’ll learn the hot pack process for canning tomatoes. Try this and our other canning resources to help you stock up after each harvest.
The following is an excerpt from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning covering how to can crushed tomatoes.
Canning Whole Tomatoes (packed in water)
Quantity: An average of 21 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 13 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 53 pounds and yields 15 to 21 quarts-an average of 3 pounds per quart.
Procedure for hot or raw tomatoes filled with water in jars: Wash tomatoes. Dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split; then dip in cold water. Slip off skins and remove cores. Leave whole or halve. Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to jars (See acidification directions). Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired.
Raw pack — Heat water, for packing tomatoes, to boiling. Fill hot jars with prepared raw tomatoes, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Cover tomatoes in the jars with boiling water, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Hot pack — Put prepared tomatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to completely cover them. Boil tomatoes gently for 5 minutes. Fill hot jars with hot tomatoes leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Add cooking liquid to the jars to cover the tomatoes, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in the Image Gallery — depending on the method used, times will vary.
