Canned Diced Tomatoes
If you have a bumper crop of tomatoes and don't know what to do with them, you should make canned tomatoes! This small-batch recipe is easy to make and tastes so much better than store-bought!
Servings: 4 pints
Calories: 113kcal
Equipment
- Water bath canner
Ingredients
- 5 pounds ripe tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons bottled lemon juice 1 tablespoon for each pint jar
- 2 teaspoons pickling salt or coarse salt - ½ teaspoon for each pint jar
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar ½ teaspoon for each pint jar
Instructions
- Wash tomatoes and cut an 'X' on the bottom of each. Blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer them to an ice bath. Remove skins and chop tomatoes.
- Wash lids, bands, and jars in hot soapy water. Rinse well. Sterilize jars in boiling water for 10 minutes. You can also run them through a dishwasher cycle. Keep hot until ready to use.
- Add tomatoes to a large pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, then reduce to low. Simmer for 5 minutes.
- Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or ¼ teaspoon citric acid), ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon sugar directly to EACH pint jar. Double these amounts for quarts. Then fill jars with hot tomatoes, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with a plastic utensil. Wipe jar rims with a clean, damp cloth. Apply lids and bands, tightening to fingertip-tight.
- Place the jars in a canner. Fill the canner with boiling water until one inch above the lowered jars. Process in a boiling water bath for 40 minutes (pints) or 45 minutes (quarts).
- Remove jars with canning tongs and cool on a towel-covered surface for 12-24 hours. Check seals before storing. Refrigerate any unsealed jars. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year. Liquid separation is normal. Stir before using.
Notes
- For safety, use bottled lemon juice as its acidity is consistent. Fresh lemon juice can vary.
- Roma or plum tomatoes work well as they're meatier and less watery.
- You can leave tomato skins on if you like, but the texture may be less smooth.
- Tomatoes expand during processing, so don't overfill jars.
- Adjust processing times for high altitudes: Add 5 minutes for 1,001-3,000 ft, 10 minutes for 3,001-6,000 ft., and 15 minutes above 6,000 ft.
Nutrition
Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 1191mg | Potassium: 1359mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 4724IU | Vitamin C: 83mg | Calcium: 58mg | Iron: 2mg
