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Canned Tomatoes Recipe

Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Two jars of canned tomatoes next to fresh tomatoes on the table

These canned tomatoes are so good with hot mashed potatoes or plov. This recipe yields six quart-sized jars of canned tomatoes. You can easily cut everything in half and make just 3 jars if you don't have a ridiculous amount of tomatoes. Store at room temp or cooler for up to a year.

Author: Natasha of NatashasKitchen.com
Skill Level: Easy/Medium
Cost to Make: Varies by Season
Keyword: Canned Tomatoes
Cuisine: American
Course: Condiments, Side Dish

Ingredients

  • 6 lbs tomatoes, 1 lb per jar*
  • 10 cups water
  • 6 cups white vinegar, (5% acidity)
  • 1/3 cup non-iodized salt, we used fine sea salt
  • 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1/2 bell pepper, seeded and sliced into 1/2" strips
  • 1/2 Tbsp peppercorns, 5 per jar
  • 6 dill flowers
  • 6 bay leaves
  • 6 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 horseradish leaf, (optional), torn into 6 pieces
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

To Sterilize Jars:

  1. Preheat oven to 215˚F. Wash all of your jars and lids with soap and warm water. Place jars in the oven on the bottom rack for 20 minutes or until completely dry. Boil lids to sterilize them.

To make the brine:

  1. In a large pot, combine 10 cups of water, 6 cups vinegar, 1/3 cup salt, and 3 Tbsp sugar. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt.

Filling your Jars:

  1. Wash and prep all vegetables. Divide your sliced bell pepper, peppercorns, dill, bay leaves, garlic and horseradish leaves (if using), among six quart-sized jars.

  2. Add tomatoes and pack them in as tightly as you can without squishing them. Pour boiling hot brine over your tomatoes.

  3. Screw the lids on enough to keep the seal in place but don't over-tighten them since air bubbles need to be able to escape.

  4. Place packed cans into the canning pot and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and process 15 minutes. Remove from the pot with jar lifter and leave at room temperature undisturbed for 12-24 hours. You may hear a pop when the jars fully seal. After 24 hours, check that the seal has formed by pushing down on the center of the lid - it should not move at all. If the seal does not form, refrigerate tomatoes and enjoy within 3 months.

Recipe Notes

*Pick small tomatoes that fit through the mouth of the jar. You can fit more tomatoes in the jar if they are smaller.