Canning Vegetables

[SamSpade]

This weekend was my first attempt to keep from having to throw out all the good stuff from my garden.

We will probably eat all of the remaining cucumbers, carrots and eggplant - and if we're LUCKY, whatever is destroying my squash will just GIVE UP (I've tried deer and pest repellent - it either isn't working, or too much is just killing the plants outright).

But that leaves the tons of tomatoes, jalapenos, habaneros and peppers. I can't even give the peppers away fast enough.

Now, I've made salsa and canned a few pints of that, and I'm pickling the jalapenos. But what do you do with the different tomatoes (I have romas, lemon boys, cherry, lemon pear, big boys and better boys). Do you do anything TO them before canning? Stew them, peel them? How about the sweet bell peppers? My wife suggested I ask, but she also thinks I'd be better off chopping them and just freezing them.

It looks like, with the cooler weather that my tomatoes will FINALLY ripen - as far as I can tell, the main thing keeping them from ripening was it was just too hot. Because of that, I will have a bumper crop soon, even WITH rabbits eating them. What should I do with them?

 

[DQ2B]

Do you use tomato sauce much? You could make homemade sauce and can it. Or if you don't have the time to make it now you could just can the tomatoes whole and make it later or use them later for stew. Drop the tomatoes in boiling water for a few seconds, remove the skin and can.

 

[SamSpade]

Should I add any liquid to the boiled tomatoes? I just think it's weird to can something that has a lot of air in it, unless I figure out how to mash 'em in the bottle really well.

 

[DQ2B]

You don't have to add liquid, though some people will add some lemon juice. Just peel the tomatoes and kind of squish them in the jar. They'll make their own liquid. Make sure you leave about 1/2" head space.

 

[SamSpade]

Ok, how about the habaneros and green peppers? Freeze? Make relish? (As if I have any idea how to do that).

 

[Nanny Pam]

I am making tomato sauce as we speak. The smell of the fresh tomatoes & the sweet peppers is driving me crazy!

 

[jazz lady]

Green peppers (and most peppers as a matter of fact) freeze well. Just deseed, chop, and place in freezer bags. You can also can pickled red peppers

Try making a habanero sauce. You can either freeze or can it.

Tomatoes you can also freeze after chopping them up. You can also make salsa, tomato sauce, or chutney, dehydrate them for "sun-dried" tomatoes, or blend them up and freeze them for canning or other use later on.

Lots of great recipes here for all sorts of canning needs.

 

[Ponytail]

My mom used to do tomato sauce and just put it in Freezer bags...a little easier than canning it. But she used to do Stewed tomatoes too...Gawd I loved that stuff.

I wish I had the time to do it. Someday...Someday.

 

[Cowgirl]

There is a really good book made by Ball (the glass jar company). The cover is blue....really great for beginners!! I highly recommend it. We used to sell it in Southern States (the one that closed down).

 

[jazz lady]

There is a really good book made by Ball (the glass jar company). The cover is blue....really great for beginners!! I highly recommend it. We used to sell it in Southern States (the one that closed down).

The Ball Blue Book is the bible for home canners and I've recommended it on here more than a few times. I've seen it sold in Wal-Mart before. It costs less than $10 but it's worth its weight in gold.

 

[greyhound]

My mom used to do tomato sauce and just put it in Freezer bags...a little easier than canning it. But she used to do Stewed tomatoes too...Gawd I loved that stuff.

I wish I had the time to do it. Someday...Someday.

Stewed tomatoes on top of elbow maccaroni with a little salt and pepper.

 

[Vince]

For your tomatoes there is a little machine, doesn't cost much, you throw the tomatoes in whole and turn the crank. Out comes just the pulp and juice. No seeds or skin. Great for making your own V8 juice, tomato juice, sauce, etc.

 

[SamSpade]

The Ball Blue Book is the bible for home canners and I've recommended it on here more than a few times. I've seen it sold in Wal-Mart before. It costs less than $10 but it's worth its weight in gold.

I'll have to look for that. I'm gonna be up to my azz in tomatoes this year (thank God - early July, I thought this would be a repeat of last year - NO TOMATOES with over 40 plants in the garden). I'm also tired of referring to the bottom of the box all the time, although I think once I have the basics down pat, I won't need it so much.

BTW I noticed that in my canned salsa, there was a little bit of air. Ok, maybe more than a little bit. I know you need SOME, but is too much air bad? It is sterilized, right?

 

[SamSpade]

For your tomatoes there is a little machine, doesn't cost much, you throw the tomatoes in whole and turn the crank. Out comes just the pulp and juice. No seeds or skin. Great for making your own V8 juice, tomato juice, sauce, etc.

Mainly for juice? So, I'm guessing the pulp is, like the pulp in orange juice, and not like the pulp in canned tomatoes?

So far, the only way I know of peeling tomatoes is to slightly roast them first. And I totally suck at seeding them.

 

[camily]

I just blanch the tomatoes and skin them. Then I squish them with mt hand at the same time as peling them over a bowl. Then I pour the whole thing in a freezer bag to use for whatever I want later.

 

[SamSpade]

I just blanch the tomatoes and skin them. Then I squish them with mt hand at the same time as peling them over a bowl. Then I pour the whole thing in a freezer bag to use for whatever I want later.

I'll have to try that - my Romas are coming out a bit less ripe and would probably peel better that way (they're red, but not very soft).

 

[camily]

I'll have to try that - my Romas are coming out a bit less ripe and would probably peel better that way (they're red, but not very soft).

Yeah, the skin just falls off them when blanched.

 

[jazz lady]

I'll have to look for that. I'm gonna be up to my azz in tomatoes this year (thank God - early July, I thought this would be a repeat of last year - NO TOMATOES with over 40 plants in the garden). I'm also tired of referring to the bottom of the box all the time, although I think once I have the basics down pat, I won't need it so much.

Try Wal-Mart - they may still have some copies. Or Southern States or any of the local hardware stores. I did a quick check and amazon.com sells it new for about $9 and used copies even cheaper. "Putting Food By" is another great reference.

BTW I noticed that in my canned salsa, there was a little bit of air. Ok, maybe more than a little bit. I know you need SOME, but is too much air bad? It is sterilized, right?

No, it really doesn't matter as long as you don't OVERFILL the jars. THAT is bad. When putting stuff in jars for canning, it's a good idea to use a non-aluminum utensil (I always use a metal knife) to gently stir the contents to remove any excess air before wiping the jar lip and putting on the lid.

 

[jazz lady]

For your tomatoes there is a little machine, doesn't cost much, you throw the tomatoes in whole and turn the crank. Out comes just the pulp and juice. No seeds or skin. Great for making your own V8 juice, tomato juice, sauce, etc.

Tomato Press

This tool processes fresh tomatoes at their seasonal best into a delicious base for sauces or salsas. Streamlining preparation, the press separates pulp from skin and seeds in record time. To operate, simply place quartered tomatoes in the top and turn the handle. The press is made of heavy-duty acrylic with a stainless-steel strainer and attaches to a counter or tabletop by suction.

<img src="http://a1412.g.akamai.net/7/1412/243/0080/image2.styleinamerica.com/wsecimgs/images/products/200630/0009/img48m.jpg">

 

[kwillia]

When I think of tomatoes... I think of ketchup...