Canning Tomatoes: Step-by-Step Guide to Water Bath Canning for Year-Round Flavor

Enjoy garden-fresh tomato taste all year in sauces, soups, stews. Here's my complete canning process.

Why Super-Ripe Tomatoes?

Let tomatoes get super-ripe on vine (farmers can't—they bruise). Buy canning tomatoes a few days ahead; they'll ripen on counter. Add fresh basil, oregano, thyme, garlic—summer-only flavors.

Supplies

• Super-ripe tomatoes, fresh herbs, extra-virgin olive oil, onions, red peppers, salt
• Heavy pot, boiling water, cold water bath, slotted spoon
• Knife, cutting board, garlic chopper/processor
• Canning jars, lids (new each time), screw bands, jar cloth, jar tongs
• Funnel, ladle, marker for labeling

Preparation

1. Cover pot bottom with olive oil. Cook onions, red pepper, salt until soft.
2. Boil water. Wash tomatoes. Dip 3–4 at a time in boiling water ~30 sec until skins slip. Transfer to cold water. Peel, core, chop.

Fun "Lucy" method: Clean hands, pull skins, mush tomatoes into pot through fingers (discard cores). Tactile and exhilarating!

3. Stir in all tomatoes. Wash herbs, peel garlic. Process garlic finely, add. Tear herbs, add. Cook ~1 hour for flavors to meld.
4. Keep mix mostly tomatoes (acidic for safe preserving). Avoid too many low-acid tomatoes.

Canning Process

1. Wash jars/lids. Jars reusable; lids single-use. Fill canner ¾ water, boil.
2. Line jars: 1 tsp salt/quart, ½ tsp/pint (preservative).
3. Funnel mixture into jars, leave 1" headspace. Critical: wipe rim clean—any food particle prevents seal.
4. Lid on, screw band tight. Place in boiling water bath with tongs. Ensure 1" water above jars.
5. Cover, soft boil: 40 min (pints), 45 min (quarts).

6. Turn off heat. Remove lid carefully (steam away). Slowly remove jars to trivet (not in draft—cold cracks jars).
7. Listen for reassuring "pop" as seals form. Wait until next day.

7. Morning: remove bands (wash for reuse). Label lids with year/contents. Store in pantry for soups, stews, chop suey, etc.

For more canning advice, see our vegetable canning guide or tomato drying guide.

By Celeste Longacre (Author of "Celeste's Garden Delights")