I have a Love-Hate relationship with canning tomatoes!

[Ginevra]

I do this every year. There's a million tomatoes. I want to can them. But I also don't want to can them. It's so tedious. But it fits in so well with my values of reducing trash and eating organic foods. It's hard on the back standing there peeling and boiling and chopping and scooping. But the freshly-canned quarts sitting on my counter looks so homemade and lovely! And then I'm happy I did it.

 

Until the next time I need to. :D

[LaxMom]

I know what you mean. I ran to the local farm stand for salad tomatoes for supper and they have roma by the box for $16. My first thought was, " yay! Canning tomatoes!" My very next though was, "ugh. Canning. Tomatoes."

 

:lol:

 

Maybe this weekend. Right now, I'm battling the Hitchcock movie flies. After they're gone, I'll hit the tomatoes.

[Susan of Croton]

For years growing up, everyone else went on vacation while we canned beans and tomatoes in a 90 degree kitchen! Arg. When I set up my own house, I decided to try dehydration. Obviously, the product is different than a juicy canned tomato, but they make great snacks, salad additions, tomato paste, and keep for years if held in a dark container. Then there are herbs to dry, fruits, even meats. You can buy/grow berries cheaply and have your own dried fruit! I found an Excelsior seven tray dehydrator at Lehmans.com.

 

Just a thought.

 

I still can jams and jellies in June, but it doesn't bug me as much as the August canning panic!

[MrsPisky]

I hear you! I am mentally preparing myself for canning tomatoes next week.

[chickenpatty]

I know that feeling, too. Although, it would be horrible of me NOT to can, because we are given bushels & bushels of tomatoes (among other things) for free from my in-laws' amazing farm.

 

I am grateful that my children will grow up with the experience, too.

[preoccupied]

Every year, I say that I'm going to can tomatoes and haven't done it once. What is your technique?

[Poke Salad Annie]

We were given a huge box of tomatoes last month, so I canned about 8 pints of salsa. It's going fast, but I don't think I'm up to making more anytime soon. I sure will miss having it if we eat it all before winter! :glare:

[Guest]

I know what you mean. I ran to the local farm stand for salad tomatoes for supper and they have roma by the box for $16. My first thought was, " yay! Canning tomatoes!" My very next though was, "ugh. Canning. Tomatoes."

 

:lol:

 

Maybe this weekend. Right now, I'm battling the Hitchcock movie flies. After they're gone, I'll hit the tomatoes.

 

:lol: I'm so glad somebody gets me!

 

I know that feeling, too. Although, it would be horrible of me NOT to can, because we are given bushels & bushels of tomatoes (among other things) for free from my in-laws' amazing farm.

 

I am grateful that my children will grow up with the experience, too.

 

Yeah, I like for my kids to witness that, too. :001_smile: DS12 was helping me with the splitting/peeling part for a while.

 

Every year, I say that I'm going to can tomatoes and haven't done it once. What is your technique?

 

I first bring a big pot of water to boil. This is for splitting the skin, so they can be peeled. I just put 4 or 5 tomatoes into this water with a slotted spoon and then remove them when the skin splits. I keep them going and put them into my (clean) sink until all the skins are split.

 

Then, I boil the clean jars and lids in a pan while I peel and slice all the split tomatoes. Then, I boil all of the chopped tomatoes. I take a hot jar, put a large-mouth funnel on it, and fill it with the boiling chopped tomatoes. Then, I put the hot lid on. This is usually enough to create a vacuum - hot jars, hot lids and boiling chopped tomatoes. Within a few minutes, I hear the lid "plink" - the seal has vacuumed on.

 

This is easier (to me) than chopping all the tomatoes, putting them in the jars and then processing the jars in a canner. I have read that the way I'm doing it is not longer considered a great method because one cannot be certain that the temps are high enough to kill bacteria. However, it will be apparent within a week or so if I did not kill the bacteria, because it will spoil. This is the method my MIL has used for 60 years or so, so I have reasonable faith that it's effective. :001_smile:

[Guest]

I did it once. Lets just say that was the last time.

 

I freeze everything now.

 

:lol: This is how I remember my mother's attempt to make pickles. It was this big fiasco with giant pots and canners. My grandmother helped. Then we had 59 pints of pickles for the next 20 years. My mother never attempted that again and nobody wanted those pickles, either. :tongue_smilie:

[Guest]

I hear you too! The plants are slowing down and I'm very happy about that. I lost count of how many pints I've put up. Must be around 70 or so. I'll count when I'm done.

 

You win!!!

[In The Great White North]

I first bring a big pot of water to boil. This is for splitting the skin, so they can be peeled. I just put 4 or 5 tomatoes into this water with a slotted spoon and then remove them when the skin splits. I keep them going and put them into my (clean) sink until all the skins are split.

 

I decided this step wasn't really necessary. Now, I just throw them (whole if they are cherry tomatoes or quarters of they are big) in the food processor and chop them up, skins and all. Once they are canned, you can't even tell and not boiling the water for that step keeps a lot of heat out of the kitchen.

[justLisa]

I did it once. Lets just say that was the last time.

 

I freeze everything now.

 

I HATE canning tomatoes. I would pay someone, but that would defeat the purpose. Oh and peaches. NEVER.

 

One year I bought a bushel of tomatoes. I did not understand the reality of what that really meant.

[justLisa]

:lol: This is how I remember my mother's attempt to make pickles. It was this big fiasco with giant pots and canners. My grandmother helped. Then we had 59 pints of pickles for the next 20 years. My mother never attempted that again and nobody wanted those pickles, either. :tongue_smilie:

 

See I do the pickles, but I make fermented ones. I don't actually can then as in pressure boil. They stay in cool storage or the fridge.

[Guest]

I decided this step wasn't really necessary. Now, I just throw them (whole if they are cherry tomatoes or quarters of they are big) in the food processor and chop them up, skins and all. Once they are canned, you can't even tell and not boiling the water for that step keeps a lot of heat out of the kitchen.

 

You speak sacrilege! :D It sounds like you're canning a crushed tomato? Maybe they wouldn't be noticeable if they were crushed/chopped fine.

 

See I do the pickles, but I make fermented ones. I don't actually can then as in pressure boil. They stay in cool storage or the fridge.

 

My dh does pickles that way, too. I love them, but it bugs me a little that my "spare" fridge has all these pickles in there. Just a little, though. I don't especially like pickles that have been cooked.

[OrganicAnn]

I too have a Love/Hate relationship with them.

 

I love to eat home canned tomatoes (my mom's) and I hate it when they are all gone.

[laughing lioness]

Have you tried this? stick tomatoes in a freezer bag, remove air and throw them in the freezer, when you are ready to use them, remove them, rinse under cold water- peels slip off, and throw them in the pan for sauce.

I have a bunch drying on the counter as we speak...