Tips and Guides

Crushed Hot Pack Tomatoes

Slip tomato skins by dipping in boiling water then plunging in cold water. Core and cut into quarters. Put a quart of tomatoes in a heavy saucepan and heat while crushing with a wooden spoon to press out juice. Add the rest of a canner load of tomatoes and continue to heat and stir. Bring to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Fill jars with hot tomatoes leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Add 1 Tb bottled lemon juice per pint and 2 Tb bottled lemon juice per quart. If desired for flavor, add salt; 1 tsp/pint.

Process in a boiling water canner 34 minutes for pints and 45 minutes for quarts at sea level; or process in a pressure canner for 15 minutes at 10 pounds pressure at sea level.

Recipe from current USDA recommendations and Pacific NW Cooperative Extension Bulletin 300.
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Whole, Cold, Squished Tomatoes

Slip the tomato skins by dipping in boiling water then plunging in cold water. Core. Fill Jars with raw tomatoes, pressing until spaces fill with juice. Leave 1/2 inch headspace. Add 1 Tb lemon juice per pint and 2 Tb lemon juice per quart. May add salt (1 tsp/qt) for flavor if desired.

Adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner for 85 minutes at sea level, 90 minutes at 1001-3000 ft, 95 minutes at 3001-6000 ft, and 100 minutes at 6001-8000 ft. It is possible to shorten this processing time to 25 minutes if processed at 10 pounds in a pressure canner for pints or quarts at sea level.

Recipe adaped from 1991 Pacific NW Cooperative Extension Bulletin 300 and USDA tomato processing times.