Can those extra garden tomatoes safely, easily

Ever wonder how much produce you need when a recipe calls for “pounds” of produce?

Here are some guidelines.

One pound equals:

• 3-4 small tomatoes.

• 10 large chile peppers.

• 2½ cups chopped onions.

• 6½ cups sliced mushrooms.

This summer has brought on a bounty of wonderful tomatoes! Anyone growing tomatoes has more than their fair share of them. So many to share!

Fresh ripe tomatoes fresh from the garden are a tasty treat. However, if you have several pounds more than you can eat fresh you should consider preserving them.

There are so many things you can make with tomatoes, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato paste, salsas, spaghetti sauces, taco sauces, and juice.

If you’re going to preserve any kind of product with tomatoes, be careful about what processing procedures you use. Boiling water or pressure canning methods are recommended for canning tomatoes. Tomatoes for many years were considered high in acid. However, the new low acid varieties along with over-mature fruits, and tomatoes from dead or frost-killed vines may have a pH greater than 4.6, which is considered too low to use a boiling water bath canner safely without addition of more acid. Not following the tested recipes and procedures can result in serious food borne illnesses including botulism.

The USDA and university-based researchers have determined that to ensure a safe acid level for boiling water bath canning or pressure canning of whole, crushed, or juiced tomatoes, add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or ½ teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon of citric acid. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling the jars with product. Add sugar to offset acid taste, if desired.

Processing times for tomatoes varies based on how they are packed into the jar, size of the jar, type of liquid added to tomatoes, and initial temperature of the product. For example quarts of raw tomatoes in their own juice would take 85 minutes in the boiling water bath canner versus quarts of hot crushed tomatoes heated and packed in their own juice would process for 45 minutes. For current processing time and instructions use the Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products publication from WSU Extension office or search the title at pubs.wsu.edu.

Now for the question about making tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce, taco sauce, BBQ sauce and other products that have other low acid vegetables in them. These products can be trickier based on what other low acid vegetables are added and how thick the product gets. The best advice I can give is to follow a research based tested recipe and follow it exactly.

There are so many recipes one can find on the web, on food blogs and from people who like to share their favorite recipe (or grandmas!). Not that these recipes aren’t wonderful, but just may not be the right kind of recipe to be safely preserved. Even though a recipe may only have a teaspoon or tablespoon of an added vegetable, bacon, or oil, that addition can make the recipe unsafe. If you like something that much and don’t want to use one of the tested recipes, then I suggest that you freeze that product.

One last caution: always use the size of jar that the recipe calls for. If it says you can preserve something in pints or half pints then don’t consider preserving in a quart jar and doubling the processing time for pints. The researched times are based on the size and shape of the jar, but also the mass inside the jar and how the heat penetrates the jar and product. When you have more food in the jar, the heat may penetrate more slowly and there may be parts of the food product that doesn’t get completely heated as needed to kill the organisms that can make one sick.

Think creatively when planning to preserve tomatoes, but also think “safety.” There are many tested procedures and recipes available to preserve your tomatoes. Creating your own procedures and recipes could result in a hazardous product, since the pH range of tomatoes is on the borderline between acid and low-acid foods.

For more information about preserving tomatoes contact the WSU Extension office or call the Food Preservation Hotline 360-397-6060 ext 5366.

Mexican Tomato Sauce

Makes 7 quarts.

Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products, PNW Extension publication.

2 1/2 to 3 pounds chili peppers

18 pounds tomatoes

3 cups chopped onions

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon oregano

1/2 cup vinegar (5%)

Wash and dry chilies. Slit each pepper on its side to allow steam to escape. Peel peppers in the oven. Place peppers in oven (400 degrees) or broiler for 6-8 minutes until skins blister.

Allow peppers to cool.

Place in a pan and cover with a damp cloth. This will make peeling the peppers easier. After several minutes, peel each pepper.

Remove stem and seeds from peppers.

Chop peppers.

Wash tomatoes and dip in boiling water for 30-60 seconds or until skins split.

Dip in cold water, slip off skins and remove cores.

Coarsely chop tomatoes.

Combine chopped tomatoes, peppers and remaining ingredients in large saucepan.

Bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer 10 minutes.

Pour into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.

Wipe jar rims, adjust lids and process.

Process in a dial gauge pressure canner at 11 pound pressure OR in a weighted gauge pressure canner at 10 pounds.

Pints 20 minutes.

Quarts 25 minutes.

Tomato Paste

Makes 9 half pints.

From “So Easy to Preserve.”

8 quarts peeled, cored chopped tomatoes (about 4 dozen large)

1 1/2 cups chopped sweet red peppers (about 3)

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic (optional)

Combine first four ingredients and cook slowly 1 hour.

Press through a fine sieve.

Add garlic clove, if desired.

Continue cooking slowly until thick enough to round up on a spoon, about 2 1/2 hours.

Stir frequently to prevent sticking.

Remove garlic clove and bay leaves.

Pour boiling hot paste into hot half pint jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace remove air bubbles, wipe jar rims, adjust lids

Process in a boiling water bath for 45 minutes.

Tomato Sauce — Seasoned

Makes 5 half-pint jars.

From “So Easy to Preserve.”

10 pound tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped

3 medium onions, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 1/2 teaspoons oregano

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon sugar

Bottled lemon juice or citric acid to add to each jar of sauce

Place all ingredients in a large saucepan.

Bring to a boil.

Simmer 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

Press mixture through a food mill and discard seeds.

Cook mixture until thick over medium high heat, stirring frequently.

Pour hot sauce into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.

To each 1/2 pint or pint jar add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice OR 1/4 teaspoon citric acid.

Wipe rims and adjust lids

Process boiling water bath canner for 35 minutes OR process in pressure canner for 15 minutes. (10 pounds for weighted gauge canner and 11 pound pressure for dial gauge pressure canner.)

Spaghetti Sauce Without Meat

Makes about 9 pints.

From Canning Tomato and Tomato Products, PNW Extension publication.

30 pounds tomatoes

1 cup onions, chopped*

5 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup celery or green pepper, chopped *

1 pound mushrooms, sliced* (optional)

1/4 cup vegetable oil

4 1/2 teaspoons salt or to taste

2 teaspoons black pepper

2 tablespoons oregano

1/4 cup parsley, minced

1/4 cup brown sugar

o It is NOT safe to increase the proportion of onions, peppers/celery or mushrooms

Wash tomatoes and dip in boiling water for 30-60 seconds or until skins split.

Dip in cold water and slip off skins.

Remove cores and quarter tomatoes.

Boil 20 minutes, uncovered, in a large saucepan.

Put though food mill or sieve.

Saute onions, garlic, celery or peppers, and mushrooms (if used) in vegetable oil until tender.

Combine sauteed vegetables and tomatoes, and add salt, peppers, hers, and sugar.

Bring to a boil.

Simmer uncovered until thick enough for serving. (The volume will be have been reduced by nearly one-half)

Stir frequently to avoid burning. Fill jars, leaving 1 inch headspace.

Adjust lids and process in a pressure canner for 20 minutes for pints; 25 minutes for quarts.

10 pound pressure with a weighted gauge; 11 pounds pressure with a dial gauge. Adjust pressure for altitudes above 1,000 feet.

Sandra Brown is the food safety and nutrition faculty for Washington State University Clark County Extension. Reach her at 360-397-6060 ext 5700 or browns@wsu.edu. The WSU Clark County Extension is located at The Heritage Farm, 1919 NE 78th Street, Vancouver WA 98665 or visit their website at clark.wsu.edu.