How to Preserve Tomatoes by Canning

There is nothing quite like the taste of a homegrown tomato. Fresh off the vine and bursting with flavor, garden grown tomatoes are nutritious and delicious. Preserve a bumper crop of tomatoes to enjoy this fresh flavor throughout the year.

Things You'll Need

• Jars
• Rings
• Freezer containers
• Pressure cooker
• Large canning pot
• Water

Instructions

1. Wash tomatoes in cool water. Carefully remove tomato stems, and place tomatoes in a strainer.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place tomatoes in the boiling water for about a minute. Remove tomatoes from the pot and immediately rinse them in ice cold water. Peel the skin off.

3. Freeze tomatoes by placing them in a freezer safe container. Seal the container tightly, and freeze the tomatoes in the freezer.

4. Process the tomatoes in a hot-water bath using clean, chip-free jars for another option. Follow bottling instructions carefully.

5. Use a pressure cooker to preserve the garden fresh flavor. Place tomatoes in clean, chip-free jars. Follow pressure cooker instructions carefully. This is the freshest way to preserve tomatoes.

6. Store frozen tomatoes in a deep freeze for up to a year. Store frozen tomatoes in a regular freezer for up to 6 months.

7. Store pressure-cooked tomatoes or hot-water bath tomatoes in a cool dark place. Use the tomatoes within a year.

Tips & Warnings

• Freeze tomatoes as they come off the vine. Process all tomatoes at once.

• Buy tomatoes from a local farmers market if you do not have a garden.

• Make homemade salsa, sauces and more before processing tomatoes.

• Use caution when using a pressure cooker. Follow all manufacturer instructions.

• Only use jars that are chip-free and free from excess ware or they will break while processing.