# Tomatoes and frost... help!



## phbailey (Sep 18, 2012)

I just read on the pick your own site not to can tomatoes that are on frost damaged vines as the acidity may be lower. Yes, I read this after processing about 90 lbs of ripe tomatoes after we got back from vacation. The topmost leaves and small vines of the plants were brown from what we think was a frost.

I added plenty of lemon juice as I was hurried and usually splashed more than the 2 T into each jar.

Whatdya thinkâ¦are we all gonna die? Do I need to go have a nice lie down in the middle of the road since that is what contemplating dumping many many jars of hard work makes me feel like doing?


----------



## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I certainly wouldn't worry about them.


----------



## farmerstac (Mar 16, 2005)

Tomatoes need to be pressure canned. So you don't have to worry about low acid. Tomatoes today have been crossed up so many ways they don't have the acid levels of old varieties.
I know many still water bath can and have done it for years without ill effect but you are are flirting with Botulism.


----------



## Horseyrider (Aug 8, 2010)

I remember when I first learned how to pressure can, the big concern was botulism. Still is a big concern. We were instructed to bring to a boil and then simmer all pressure canned foods for ten minutes to kill any botulism that might have developed in the jars before taking even one taste.

If I was in your situation, I'd use these jars for stuff that's going to simmer awhile anyhow. Stewed tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, chili, etc, all seem to get better with long slow cooking. 

I know you water bathed them instead of pressure canning, but that's why the acid levels are of concern with either method.

It'll be fine.


----------



## phbailey (Sep 18, 2012)

I am not sure what I am doing wrong... but after doing some creative searches, I was able to see partial replies to my question. 
Thanks for responding. Some of the tomatoes were pressure canned in spaghetti sauce, but a batch was bwb as just plain tomatoes canned in their own juice from the bbb recipe. I have canned for years and knew that acidity in toms had changed, hence the "new" rec's for lemon juice or citric acid to acidify them. I had never heard about frost damaged vines being a problem, but this is the first year we had a frost like that. Even so, we only suspect it was frost since we were out of town... maybe it was too little water? With proper acidification, won't I be safe? If only I had never read that little blip on that specific website, I could be happily oblivious right now.


----------



## phbailey (Sep 18, 2012)

Horseyrider said:


> I remember when I first learned how to pressure can, the big concern was botulism. Still is a big concern. We were instructed to bring to a boil and then simmer all pressure canned foods for ten minutes to kill any botulism that might have developed in the jars before taking even one taste.
> 
> If I was in your situation, I'd use these jars for stuff that's going to simmer awhile anyhow. Stewed tomatoes, spaghetti sauce, chili, etc, all seem to get better with long slow cooking.
> 
> ...


Oh yeah! :doh: I forgot that - the boil before use. Of course, they will all be boiled/cooked for a LONG time before being consumed. And any other types of spoilage besides botulism will be obvious. Thanks.


----------



## Gladrags (Jul 13, 2010)

I wouldn't worry about it another minute. It's unlikely that, if only the tips of the topmost leaves were damaged, the frost killed the entire plant.


----------



## Jeepgirl86 (May 18, 2012)

Tomatoes do not have to be pressure canned. I boil my tomatoes for 5 min (after peeling, coring and dicing), add my acid (lemon juice or citric acid) to the jars, add the tomatoes and BWB just as the books say to do it. When I open a jar I boil it about 5-10 minutes hard boil then let simmer a while. I think you'll be just fine.


----------



## Limon (Aug 25, 2010)

Tomatoes are perfectly safe to can in a water bath canner. There is no need to pressure can them at all. Both the Ball book and the National Center for Home Food Preservation have all the information you need to safely can tomatoes.


----------



## phbailey (Sep 18, 2012)

yup, I did both bwb and pressure canned - cause some I made into spaghetti sauce using the nchfp recipes and some were the just plain tom's canned in their own juice using the bbb recipe. I have been a canner for a long time (not that I can't learn something new - that's why I started reading here, I love learning new things) - BUT I had NEVER heard about not using toms from frost damaged vines and didn't know what to think of that. Thankfully, I was reminded about boiling before use - that and the fact that I acidified the bwb toms reassured me - not going to have to take a nap in the middle of the street after all. :clap: :bouncy:

THanks for the help! I am still canning tom's this week. My dh and I decided our crazy bumper crop of veggies is probably due in part to us getting bees this spring. We have never had a garden produce like this one, it's pretty cool.


----------



## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

I've never heard of that either.


----------

