Canning your own Salsa

This year, my husband was inspired to plant a small tomato garden after we visited Disney World and saw how they were experimenting with growing vegetables in creative ways. Most of their plants were trained to grow horizontally on trellises high off the ground.

We’ve always struggled with pests and critters tearing up our garden — it’s enough to make anyone give up. Just when everything starts blooming beautifully, I wake up to find it all destroyed. My biggest nemesis? The armadillo. They dig holes and uproot anything that looks healthy. If you’re an animal lover, you might want to skip this part — but last year, my husband managed to take down at least six armadillos, and trust me, there are still plenty more causing trouble.

Anyway, back to the tomatoes! My husband’s trellis experiment has been a success so far, and I finally had enough tomatoes to make my first batch of salsa. Hopefully, now that the weather is starting to cool down, the plants will perk back up — they tend to go dormant when temperatures hit over 100°F.

If you can get your hands on 20-25 homegrown tomatoes, that’s the perfect amount for this salsa recipe. It originally came from a friend of my sister-in-law, but after tweaking and adjusting it over the years, I’m proud to call it my own. I love the fresh, vibrant flavor — it’s miles better than anything you’ll find in a store. So, without further ado, here’s the recipe!

Ingredients and supplies:
20-25 tomatoes
4 yellow onions
5 green bell peppers
4 yellow, orange, or red bell peppers
1 whole garlic bulb
Hot peppers of your choice such as jalapeno, Habanero, Serrano
1 bunch of cilantro
1/4 cup of sea salt (I used to use regular table salt, but sea salt tastes much better and is not so salty, if that makes any sense)
1/4 cup of white vinegar
5-6 quart canning jars or 10 -12 pint jars (found at large grocery stores)
lids and screw cap
steam canner or water bath canner
bottle tongs
canning funnel
chop stick for getting air bubble out
A very large pot- big enough that when your pot is full of salsa, it only comes to 2/3 full. If you fill it up more then the bubbling of the hot salsa will splatter everywhere and be dangerous to you.

Directions:

Step 1:
Start by removing the skins from the tomatoes. Fill a large pot about two-thirds full with water and bring it to a gentle boil. Add 4-5 tomatoes at a time (depending on the size of your pot). When the skins start to crack, remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a colander in the sink. Run cold water over them as you peel off the skins. Repeat until all the tomatoes are done.

Step 2:
Core the tomatoes and cut them into quarters. Using a large food processor (7-8 cup capacity), pulse the tomatoes until they’re chunky — avoid pureeing them completely. Transfer the tomatoes to a large stock pot.

Step 3:
Wash and core the bell peppers. Chop them finely in the food processor.

Step 4:
Peel and quarter the onions, then chop them finely in the food processor. (Grab some tissues — this is the part that might make you tear up!)

Step 5:
Peel the garlic and finely chop it in the food processor.

Step 6:
Wash and core the hot peppers. If you like more heat, leave the seeds in. For a milder salsa, remove them. If you’re using habaneros (which are very hot), stick to just one or two. Jalapeños are a good medium-heat option — a dozen gives a nice kick without being overwhelming. For a smoky heat, you can also add a small can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.

In the food processor, chop the cilantro and hot peppers together. Pour in the vinegar to help scrape everything out of the processor when you transfer it to the pot. Important: Don’t add the hot peppers, cilantro, vinegar, or salt to the main pot until the second timed cooking period.

Step 7:
Add all the prepared ingredients (except the hot peppers, cilantro, vinegar, and salt) to the stock pot. It may look a little foamy due to the peppers being processed, but don’t worry — this will cook away. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to a boil. Let it boil for 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or burning.

Step 8:
Now, add the hot peppers, cilantro, vinegar, and salt to the pot. Stir everything together well. Bring it back to a boil, then reduce the heat slightly and cook for another 20 minutes. Stir often to keep the bottom from burning.

Step 9:
While the salsa finishes cooking, prepare your steam canner. Make sure the jars are clean, dry, and ready to fill. Heat a small pot of water to boiling and place the jar lids in it to soften the rubber seals. Keep a 2-cup measuring cup with a pour spout handy for filling the jars.

Step 10:
When the salsa is done cooking, carefully ladle it into the jars using your measuring cup. Avoid touching the hot salsa. To remove any air bubbles trapped in the salsa, gently slide a chopstick down the inside of each jar, releasing the bubbles as you go.

Step 11:
Wipe the rims of the jars to ensure a clean, sterile surface for sealing. Dip a clean paper towel into the hot water you used for the lids, and wipe around each jar rim. Use a fresh section of the towel for each jar to avoid cross-contamination.

Step 12:
Place the softened lids onto the jars, then screw on the bands until they’re secure but not overly tight. Set up your steam canner according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Use canning tongs to carefully lower the jars into the canner — ensure they aren’t touching each other.

Put the lid on the canner and turn the heat to high. Once steam starts escaping steadily from the vent holes, start the timer for 15 minutes. (If you’re using a water bath canner, wait for the water to reach a rolling boil before starting the timer.)

Step 13:
When the timer goes off, carefully remove the canner lid using oven mitts and tilting the lid away from you to avoid steam burns.

Prepare a draft-free spot in your kitchen, lined with kitchen towels. Use canning tongs to transfer the jars to the towels and let them cool for 24 hours without disturbing them.

As the jars cool, you’ll hear the lids “pop” — this sound means they’ve sealed properly. I like to count the pops to make sure every jar seals.

To double-check the seals, press the center of each lid. If it moves or pops back up, the jar didn’t seal correctly. Those jars should be refrigerated and used soon.

Properly sealed jars of salsa can be stored in your pantry for up to 1 year. For longer storage, a cool, dark place below 65°F is ideal — though most of us don’t have basements anymore!

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Tagged as: canning, preserving, salsa