Canning Whole Peeled Tomatoes
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Canning Whole Peeled Tomatoes
Yield: 7 quarts
When most people think of canned tomatoes, this old-fashioned pantry staple is what come to mind. They are an easy canning project that just requires blanching and peeling. You’ll enjoy them in soups, sauces, pasta dishes, casseroles, breakfasts, pizzas, pies, and more.
You will need:
~ 15 pounds ripe whole firm tomatoes (Roma or other canning variety is preferred)
~ 3/4 cup bottled lemon juice
Ó 2025 Steader Life, LLC – Recipe Adapted From: The Spruce Eats – Photo Credit: The Spruce Eats
Directions:
1. Gather your ingredients, supplies, tools, canning equipment, and perform any sterilization of jars etc before beginning.
2. Bring a large pot or canning kettle full of water to a boil. Also prepare a large bowl of ice water and set it near the pot.
3. Use a sharp knife to core each tomato until you have enough to work with, then add them to the boiling water. Boil them between 30 seconds and 1 minute until skins start to loosen, then lift them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them directly into the ice water. (Do not discard water.)
4. As soon as the tomatoes have cooled off enough to be handled, use a sharp paring knife to remove the tomato skins and any damaged areas.
5. Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice in each quart jar. Stuff the jars evenly with the tomatoes leaving ½ inch headspace, packing them in so that they make their own juice. If extra liquid is needed, use the blanching water.
6. De-bubble, clean rims, and cap the jars. Completely submerge the hot jars in boiling water 45 minutes, adding more hot water as necessary to maintain the water level, and maintaining the boil.
~ Salt is not required for this canned tomato recipe, although it can be added for taste if you like. And lemon juice helps keep the canned tomatoes from spoiling, so don't skip it.
~ Most people compost or discard the peeled skin of the tomatoes (especially if sprayed with pesticides), but you can dry them out into "chips" by spreading them on a baking sheet and baking in a 200°F oven until crispy. It takes a few hours and is highly dependent on how humid the climate is, so check them every 30 minutes or so after the first 2 hours.