I jar my tomatoes. I don't 'can' as with a warm bath process. Jarring is an old fashioned means of preserving tomatoes. It is very simple and not very time consuming. I have kept jarred tomatoes for one year in the cellar without any problem of them spoiling. In fact, when opened... they look like and taste like the day they were picked.
To begin, boil a large pot of water on the stove. Toss in as many tomatoes as the pot can hold, stems removed. Once the skin on the tomatoes cracks, remove with a stainless steel ladle and set aside to cool.
When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel and return them to the same large pot (emptied of water) to be cooked down into sauce, add salt to taste. As the pot of tomatoes begins to bubble and percolate, prepare as many jar as you will need. They must be washed clean, lids as well, and filled with boiling water as they stand ready before filling with the 'molten hot' tomato sauce.
When you are ready to fill, use tongs to drain the boiled water from the jars. This takes concentration as the water is boiling hot and the jars as well. Immediately, fill the empty boiled out jars with the HOT tomato sauce. Wipe the mouth of the jars with a clean paper towel and place the sterilized lids on (pour boiling water over them) followed by the metal ring which must be tighten down using a clean towel as the jar will be extremely hot to touch.
Set aside the filled jars allowing them to cool down and listen for the ping/snap/pop... which means that your jar is sealed and safe to store. Any left over sauce, either jar in a smaller jar or use for dinner by making a homemade spaghetti sauce.
~ Tutti a Tavola!
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