Canning Tomatoes

Quality: Select only disease-free, preferably vine-ripened, firm fruit for canning.

Caution: Do not can tomatoes from dead or frost-killed vines. Green tomatoes are more acidic than ripened fruit and can be canned safely with any of the following recommendations.

Acidification: To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed, or juiced tomatoes, add two tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use one tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling with product. Add sugar to offset acid taste, if desired. Four tablespoons of a 5 percent acidity vinegar per quart may be used instead of lemon juice or citric acid. However, vinegar may cause undesirable flavor changes.

Recommendation: Use of a pressure canner will result in higher quality and more nutritious canned tomato products. If your pressure canner cannot be operated above 15 PSI, select a process time at a lower pressure.

<font size=4)Whole or Halved Tomatoes (packed in tomato juice)

Quantity: An average of 21 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 13 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 53 pounds and yields 15 to 21 quarts-an average of 3 pounds per quart. Procedure: Wash tomatoes. Dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split, then dip in cold water. Slip off skins and remove cores. Leave whole or halve. Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to the jars (See acidification instructions). Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired. Raw pack -- Heat tomato juice in a saucepan. Fill jars with raw tomatoes, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Cover tomatoes in the jars with hot tomato juice, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Hot pack -- Put tomatoes in a large saucepan and add enough tomato juice to completely cover them. Boil tomatoes and juice gently for 5 minutes. Fill jars with hot tomatoes, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Add hot tomato juice to the jars to cover the tomatoes, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1, Table 2, or Table 3 depending on the method used.

Table 1. Recommended process time for Whole or Halved Tomatoes (packed in tomato juice) in a boiling-water canner.
		Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0 - 1,000 ft	1,001 - 3,000 ft	3,001 - 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints or Quarts	85 min	90	95	100

Table 2. Recommended process time for Whole or Halved Tomatoes (packed in tomato juice) in a weighted-gauge pressure canner.
			Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot	Pints	40 min	5 lb	10 lb
	or	25	10	15
	Quarts	15	15	Not Recommended

Table 3. Recommended process time for Whole or Halved Tomatoes (packed in tomato juice) in a dial-gauge pressure canner
			Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 2,000 ft	2,001 - 4,000 ft	4,001 - 6,000 ft	6,001 - 8,000 ft
Hot and Raw	Pints or	40 min	6 lb	7 lb	8 lb	9 lb
	Quarts	25	11	12	13	14

Whole or Halved Tomatoes (packed in water)

Quantity: An average of 21 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 13 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 53 pounds and yields 15 to 21 quarts-an average of 3 pounds per quart.

Procedure for hot or raw tomatoes filled with water in jars: Wash tomatoes. Dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split; then dip in cold water. Slip off skins and remove cores. Leave whole or halve. Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to jars (See acidification directions). Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired. For hot pack products, add enough water to cover the tomatoes and boil them gently for 5 minutes. Fill jars with hot tomatoes or with raw peeled tomatoes. Add the hot cooking liquid to the hot pack, or hot water for raw pack to cover, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 4, Table 5, or Table 6, depending on the method of canning used.

Table 4. Recommended process time for Whole or Halved Tomatoes in a boiling-water canner.
		Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0 - 1,000 ft	1,001 - 3,000 ft	3,001 - 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Hot	Pints	40 min	45	50	55
	Quarts	45	50	55	60

Table 5. Recommended process time for Whole or Halved Tomatoes in a dial-gauge pressure canner
			Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 2,000 ft	2,001 - 4,000 ft	4,001 - 6,000 ft	6,001 - 8,000 ft
Hot	Pints or	20 min	6 lb	7 lb	8 lb	9 lb
	Quarts	10	11	12	13	14

Table 6. Recommended process time for Whole or Halved Tomatoes in a weighted-gauge pressure canner.
			Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot	Pints	15 min	5 lb	10 lb
	or	10	10	15
	Quarts	10	15	Not Recommended

Whole or Halved Tomatoes (packed raw without added liquid)

Quantity: An average of 21 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 13 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 53 pounds and yields 15 to 21 quarts-an average of 3 pounds per quart.

Procedure: Wash tomatoes. Dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split, then dip in cold water. Slip off skins and remove cores. Leave whole or halve. Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to the jars (See acidification instructions). Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired. Fill jars with raw tomatoes, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Press tomatoes in the jars until spaces between them fill with juice. Leave 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 7, Table 8, or Table 9, depending on the method of canning used.

Table 7. Recommended Process Time for Whole or Halved Tomatoes (packed raw without added liquid) in a Weighted-Gauge Pressure Canner
			Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot and Raw	Pints	40 min	5 lb	10 lb
		25	10	15
	Quarts	15	15	Not Recommended

Table 8. Recommended Process Time for Whole or Halved Tomatoes (packed raw without added liquid) in a Boiling-Water Canner
		Process Time at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	0 - 1,000 ft	1,001 - 3,000 ft	3,001 - 6,000 ft	Above 6,000 ft
Raw	Pints or Quarts	85 min	90	95	100

Table 9. Recommended Process Time for Whole or Halved Tomatoes (packed raw without added liquid) in a Dial-Gauge Pressure Canner
			Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0 - 2,000 ft	2,001 - 4,000 ft	4,001 - 6,000 ft	6,001 - 8,000 ft
Raw	Pints or Quarts	40 min	6 lb	7 lb	8 lb	9 lb
		25	11	12	13	14