Canning Raw Pack Whole Tomatoes is my favorite way to bring back a little bit of summer during those long winter months.
There is nothing quite like eating a freshly picked, sun ripened tomato. My family is privileged enough to have a small backyard garden and a good section of it is dedicated to a variety of tomato plants – cherry, heirloom, and of course, the thick flesh Roma tomato, which is a great plum tomato to make Homemade Pizza Sauce.
Every year, there is this mad dash to maximize preservation of fruits and vegetables. It’s no wonder as everything in my garden ripens at once! It’s been a busy couple of weeks, from making Homemade Concord Grape Jelly, to Crock pot Vanilla Pear Butter, and some jars of Chunky Applesauce which will most likely end up as hostess gifts during the holiday season.
So, in an effort to preserve some of my backyard Romas, I spent an afternoon canning these wonderful plum tomatoes. They will be used for those hearty stews and chunky minestrone soups, appropriate comfort food for the winter. I would like to spend just a few minutes and share this simple process with all of you.
Before I get into the how to, I would just like to bring up a safety issue. As you probably know, when canning tomatoes (or any foods) the level of acidity will dictate the preservation method.
Although tomatoes have always been considered a high acid food, they have recently been flagged as being borderline as far as the pH is concerned (source NCHFP). Remember, a certain level of acidity (pH below 4.6) is required in order to prevent food borne illnesses, botulism for one.
So, like a good little canning soldier, I am following the recommendations. Just in case you are wondering, that means adding a tablespoon of concentrated lemon juice per pint of raw canned tomatoes; two tablespoons if you are using quarts. It is not recommended to use lemon juice (squeezed from a lemon) as lemons can vary in acidity.
Canning whole tomatoes by using a water bath method is not difficult, but following a couple of essential steps makes the whole process a lot easier and safer.
STEP 1: The PREPARATION of JARS and TOMATOES
- Canning jars need to be washed and sterilized (place in 225 ° F oven for at least 10 minutes). Leave them in the oven until ready to be filled up;
- Lids also need to be sterilized; just 10 minutes in simmering water is all it takes. Leave them in the water until you need them;
- The rings only need to be properly washed;
- Tomatoes need to be washed. Although any tomatoes can be used, the plum varieties (Roma tomatoes) are the best when it comes to canning. Remember to use tomatoes that are blemish free.
STEP 2: The PEELING of the WHOLE TOMATOES
- Score the tip of the tomato with an “x” OR just slice off the tip. Personally, I find that slicing the tip off allows for the tomato skin to just slip off once it has been blanched;
- Drop the tomatoes in a pot of boiling water for about 60 seconds;
- Remove tomatoes and place in a bowl to cool down (if you want, you can place them in an ice water bath);
- When cool enough to handle, peel off the skin.
STEP 3: The PACKING and CANNING TOMATOES
- Add one tablespoon of concentrated lemon juice per pint (2 tablespoons if using quarts);
- Fill each hot jar with peeled tomatoes and their juices;
- Leave ½ – ¾ inch head-space from the top;
- Remove air bubbles by running a knife along the side of the jar;
- Wipe the rims clean;
- Place a sterilized lid and screw on the bands until “finger tight”.
STEP 4: The PROCESSING of the CANNED WHOLE TOMATOES
- Place the sealed jars in a lukewarm water bath. Ensure the water is a couple of inches above the jars.
- Bring the water to a rolling boil and start the timing process. Please note that process times can vary based on your altitude. Please refer to this chart for recommendations. I will process my pint jars for about 85 minutes. GOOD TO KNOW: In order to prevent rough mineral deposits on the outside of your jars and on the inside of your water bath pot, pour about ½ cup of white vinegar in your water bath.
- Remove jars and allow to cool down before storing.
You’re done! When you hear the seals of the jar lids popping, you’ll know you’ve done a good job!
Origins of the recipe for Canning Raw Pack Whole Tomatoes:
As you can well imagine, Canning Raw Pack Whole Tomatoes, as well as making la conserva di pomodori (i.e. jarred tomato sauce) was a yearly ritual when I was growing up. As most Italians that immigrated to Montreal, my parents had a large vegetable garden which included tomatoes (technically a fruit 😉 )
There was, of course, the obligatory visit to the farms to hand-pick a few more bushels of Roma tomatoes… just in case. You need to know that la cantina was one of the most important rooms in the house and it had to be well-stocked!
And so it was, that as we washed and peeled and jarred tomatoes, stories of childhood memories and lessons of life were shared from one generation to another.
I often look back at those days and think not only were we preserving tomatoes, but creating lifelong memories.
Enjoy the rest of these wonderful summer like days.
THANKS SO MUCH for following and being part of the She Loves Biscotti community where you will find Simple & Tasty Family-Friendly Recipes with an Italian Twist.
Ciao for now,
Maria
★★★★★ If you have made this canned tomato recipe, I would love to hear about it in the comments below and be sure to rate the recipe!
Recipe
Canning Raw Pack Whole Tomatoes
Ingredients
- 13 pounds tomatoes preferably Roma
- 9 tablespoons concentrated lemon juice separated
Instructions
- Wash and score tomatoes.
- Blanch the tomatoes by dropping them in a pot of boiling water for about 60 seconds.
- Remove tomatoes and place in a bowl to cool down (if you want, you can place them in an ice water bath).
- Peel off the skin when cool enough to handle.
- Add concentrated lemon juice to jars (2 tablespoons per quart or 1 tablespoon per pint).
- Fill each hot (sterilized) jar with peeled tomatoes and their juices.
- Leave ½ – ¾ inch head-space from the top.
- Remove air bubbles by running a knife along the side of the jar.
- Wipe the rims clean.
- Place a sterilized lid and screw on the bands until “finger tight”.
- Process in hot water bath. Recommended process time for both pints and quarts is 85 minutes. Please note that process times can vary based on your altitude.
- Remove jars and allow to cool down before storing.
Notes
Nutrition
Eric
I’m growing a couple of varieties of beefsteak tomatoes. They’re going to be fairly large (>1 pound per tomato). Is there anything I should do differently to can them?
Maria
Thanks for your interest Eric. I would use the same procedure. Have fun!
Shawn
Nice, Simple enough for me (beginner gardener with lots of Romas!) and much appreciated. Is it recommended to freeze the cans or just leave in the pantry until use?
Maria
Thanks so much Shawn. I leave them in the pantry as I never have enough space in my freezer.
Vanessa Jenkins
This was super easy to follow. Thanks for sharing.
Maria
My pleasure Vanessa!
Pat Beadle
I have always been told to add salt.
Does the Lemon juice change that or
can I add a teaspoon of salt per jar also?
Maria
Thanks for your interest Pat. Salt is optional.
Ann
Can i use any kind of tomato? I am growing big boy and patio tomatoes
Maria
Thanks for your interest Ann. Yes, it is the same procedure. Make sure to really pack in the tomatoes.
Scott
Is it crucial to peel the tomatoes, or could I leave the skin on?
Maria
You can leave the skins on if you don’t mind them in whatever you plan on making with the canned tomatoes. Thank for stopping by.
Valerie
I live at 7,400 altitude. How long do I process in water bath.
Maria
Thanks for your interest Valerie. You should be adding 15 minutes. Here is the source I used. Good luck!
Ilee
Hi! I just tried this now. I do not have a pot deep enough to cover the jar (quart) for the water bath, so I filled it as much as I could, just under the lid line on the neck.
Is it ok? Thank you! Super easy to follow for a first timer!
Maria
Thanks llee! Once you get the hang of it, it really is a lot of fun and very rewarding. Unfortunately, the jars need to be submerged by a couple of inches… this is for food safety.
Jennifer Guillory
I will be trying your recipe today for canning tomatoes. I was wondering if I could add fresh basil to some of the jars, and if so, is there anything I need to do to prep it?
Thank you!
Maria
Yes, basil can be added. When I add basil I wash it properly and spin it dry. Thanks for stopping by.
Melissa Eaton
Hi! I am going to use this recipe today. Others I have used before said to fill the jar with water around the tomatoes…I don’t need to do that?
Maria
Thanks for your interest Melissa. It is not necessary when raw packing. As you are pressing the tomatoes in the jars, this will release their juices providing enough liquid to cover them. Remember to leave a half-inch headspace. Enjoy!