# Canning tomatoes



## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

I'm in the throws of my first tomato canning session and have been letting my mind wander. 

Why does the Ball Blue Book say to cook the tomatoes before canning *and* put them in a HWB for 1:45? (last year's book doesn't even mention a HWB option) All the websites I'm seeing say you can pack them in the jars without cooking and HWB them for 40-45 minutes. 

If I do follow the Ball book how much nutritional value will they really have? It seems all the good stuff would be long gone after cooking for close to 2 hours at a rolling boil. 

Do you have to remove the skin? I washed them well and when it's time to use them plan to make sauce or add them to soups so I'll be using my emulsifier to grind them to a pulp (as I do not eat chunks of tomatoes) won't leaving the skin on be okay?


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Which recipe are you referring to? For hot pack tomatoes, it should be boil for 5 minutes and then BWB for 40 and 45 minutes. That's been the standard for canning plain tomatoes forever. I don't know anyone who has ever used the cold pack method although BWB time is the same either way.

You can can tomatoes with the skins. After cooking, you'll find that they do not remain suspended in the liquid but will separate and float on the surface. If you just want the pulp for soup, convert the tomatoes to pulp as is and press them through a chinois sieve. Then you not only get rid of the skins but the seeds as well. 

Martin


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

I don't peel mine and use a hand mixer when I make sauce with them as needed. It works fine and there are no stringy bits of peel in my sauce.


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

Paquebot said:


> Which recipe are you referring to? For hot pack tomatoes, it should be boil for 5 minutes and then BWB for 40 and 45 minutes. That's been the standard for canning plain tomatoes forever. I don't know anyone who has ever used the cold pack method although BWB time is the same either way.


This is what I was reading along with the Ball book.

http://www.pickyourown.org/canning_tomatoes.htm

If I'm reading it right the only time the tomatoes get hot before the hot water bath is when the skins come off. After that he puts them straight into the jars. 

I did this tonight. I hope it works.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

Removing skins and canning with no further cooking is cold pack. Processing time is still the same 40/45 in BWB. Just need one pot on the stove for preparation and that's just for scalding. I've known some canners, including myself, to use the BWB pot for scalding. 

Also see nothing wrong with the linked method other than slight time difference. Author also mentions a reason to not leave the skins on. 

Martin


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## mullberry (May 3, 2009)

I pressure can my maters.


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## judylou (Jun 19, 2009)

Shannon - there are several different ways to can tomatoes and they are all different and the processing time differs for each method depending on what they are packed in. I think that is what is causing your confusion. When in doubt use the NCHFP guidelines as they are the "official" ones, the guidelines all the others are based on.

For example http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_03/tomato_water_pack.html are the guidelines for packing whole or halved tomatoes in water. Notice there are instructions for both hot pack and raw pack but the processing time is 40 or 45 mins either way. Hot pack is the much preferred method because it eliminates all the floating and separation that can happen with raw packing and you can get more in the jar.

Then there is http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_03/tomato_juice_pack.html Whole or Halved packed in tomato juice. Their processing time is much longer at 85 mins. because of the thicker density of the food in the jar. But again there are instructions for either hot pack or raw pack. The same preference for hot packing applies.

Then there is Whole or halved packed RAW with no added liquid http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_03/tomato_without_liquid.html

The BBB recipe you are referring to is for Tomatoes Packed in Own Juice (no added liquid) but the time required is 1 hour and 25 (not 45) mins. which is the same as the 85 mins.

So it all depends on how you want to pack your tomatoes - in water, in juice, or with no added liquid. Which way do you want to go?


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

I guess I didn't do something right. Go figure. I had several not seal well so I plan to just freeze them.

Can I just masticate them in the Vita Mix and can the sauce? I'm just going to make sauce out of them when I go to use them anyway. 

Ugh. I think I'm going to try the pressure canner as well. This water bath stuff makes too much of a mess.


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## mullberry (May 3, 2009)

Like I said ., I pressure can mine & they are perfect.


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## Paquebot (May 10, 2002)

PrettyPaisley said:


> Can I just masticate them in the Vita Mix and can the sauce? I'm just going to make sauce out of them when I go to use them anyway.


Yes, you may whip them down to a pure tomato slurry with everything in it. Use whatever PC or BWB time is recommended for plain sauce. 

Martin


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## PrettyPaisley (May 18, 2007)

I'm going to do both! Tomato slurry in the pressure canner. That's bound to work. 

Thanks y'all.


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## mollymae (Feb 10, 2010)

Hi Shannon, (great name by the way!) I always pressure can my Tomatoes as well. Its just to time consuming and risky not to in my opinion. I still hot pack also. I pressure can at 10 or 11 lbs pressure whatever time depending on how I'm canning them up. I did 12 quarts and 14 pints today of tomato puree/juice.
Hope this helps some, Shannon


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