Canning Tomatoes

Ingredients: a bushel of tomatoes weighs an average of 53 pounds and yields 15 to 21 quarts; an average of 3 pounds per quart

• Per canner load of 7 quarts an average of 21 pounds is needed
• Per canner load of 9 pints an average of 13 pounds is needed

Quality of ingredients: select only disease-free, preferably vine-ripened, firm fruit

Directions: wash tomatoes. Dip in boiling water for 30-60 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 (acidification directions if needed). If desired, add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars.

Hot pack: add enough water to cover the tomatoes and boil them gently for 5 minutes.

Fill hot jars with hot tomatoes or with raw peeled tomatoes. Add the hot cooking liquid to the hot pack, or hot water to cover the raw pack, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process.

Recommended Canner Type: Boiling-water canner (making sure acidity is correct)

Tomatoes (packed in water) 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 and Raw	Pints	40 min	45 min	50 min	55 min
	Quarts	45 min	50 min	55 min	60 min

Tomatoes (packed in water) in a dial-gauge pressure canner
			Canner 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 & Raw	Pints & Quarts	15 min	6 lb	7 lb	8 lb	9 lb
		10 min	11 lb	12 lb	13 lb	14 lb

Tomatoes (packed in water) in a weighted-gauge pressure canner
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0-1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot & Raw	Pints & Quarts	15 min	5 lb	10 lb
		10 min	10 lb	15 lb
		1 min	15 lb	No recommended

Canning Tomatoes (packed in tomato juice)

Ingredients: a bushel of tomatoes weighs an average of 53 pounds and yields 15 to 21 quarts; an average of 3 pounds per quart

• Per canner load of 7 quarts an average of 21 pounds is needed
• Per canner load of 9 pints an average of 13 pounds is needed

Quality of ingredients: select only disease-free, preferably vine-ripened, firm fruit

Directions: wash tomatoes. Dip in boiling water for 30-60 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 (acidification directions if needed). If desired, add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars.

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 hot jars with hot tomatoes, leaving ½-inch headspace. Add hot tomato juice to the jars to cover the tomatoes, leaving ½-inch headspace.

Raw pack: heat tomato juice in a saucepan. Fill hot jars with raw tomatoes, leaving ½-inch headspace. Cover tomatoes in the jars with hot tomato juice, leaving ½-inch headspace.

Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process.

Recommended Canner Type: Boiling-water canner (making sure acidity is correct)

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	Above6,000 ft
Hot & Raw	Pints & Quarts	85 min	90 min	95 min	100 min

Tomatoes (packed in tomato juice) in a dial-gauge pressure canner
			Canner 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 & Raw	Pints & Quarts	40 min	6 lb	7 lb	8 lb	9 lb
		25 min	11 lb	12 lb	13 lb	14 lb

Tomatoes (packed in tomato juice) in a weighted-gauge pressure canner
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0-1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot & Raw	Pints & Quarts	40 min	5 lb	10 lb
		25 min	10 lb	15 lb
		15 min	15 lb	No recommended

Canning Tomatoes (packed raw without added liquid)

Ingredients: a bushel of tomatoes weighs an average of 53 pounds and yields 15 to 21 quarts; an average of 3 pounds per quart

• Per canner load of 7 quarts an average of 21 pounds is needed
• Per canner load of 9 pints an average of 13 pounds is needed

Quality of ingredients: select only disease-free, preferably vine-ripened, firm fruit

Directions: wash tomatoes. Dip in boiling water for 30-60 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 (acidification directions if needed). If desired, add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars.

Fill hot jars with raw tomatoes, leaving ½-inch headspace. Press tomatoes in the jars until spaces between them fill with juice. Leave ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process.

Recommended Canner Type: Boiling-water canner (making sure acidity is correct)

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	Above6,000 ft
Hot & Raw	Pints & Quarts	85 min	90 min	95 min	100 min

Tomatoes (packed in tomato juice) in a dial-gauge pressure canner
			Canner 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 & Raw	Pints & Quarts	40 min	6 lb	7 lb	8 lb	9 lb
		25 min	11 lb	12 lb	13 lb	14 lb

Tomatoes (packed in tomato juice) in a weighted-gauge pressure canner
			Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack	Jar Size	Process Time	0-1,000 ft	Above 1,000 ft
Hot & Raw	Pints & Quarts	40 min	5 lb	10 lb
		25 min	10 lb	15 lb
		15 min	15 lb	No recommended