Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Pepper & Tomato Salsa - Canning

Love salsa. So multi purpose.  This is a great time of year to make your own - especially if you grew tomatoes and have an excess.  You can can this recipe (I did today) or you can just store it in the fridge after it's done.

Ingredients (to make 6-7 500 ml jars)
  • 7 Lbs of chopped tomatoes (approx.) 
  • 3 Peppers (Mixed colors if you have em)
  • 2 Medium Jalapeno
  • 2 Sweet Hot Peppers 
  • 1 Red or White Onion
  • 1 & 1/3 Cup Vinegar (Apple Cider or Red Wine)
  • 1 Packet of Bernardin Salsa Mix 
    • OR instead of the Bernardin:
      • 1/2 Cup Pickling Salt
      • 2 Tbsp Dried Cilantro
      • 1 Tbsp Cumin
      • 1 Tbsp Basil
      • add any other dried spices you
  • Optional: Dried Cilantro (to taste)
Supplies (if canning):

1. First select & wash your tomatoes
Tomatoes & cold water in sink

2. Slice and remove the seeds (if you are making the big batch this will take a while).  I find it easiest to slice them in half or quarters & use my thumbs or fingers to push out the seeds.
Push your thumb in - Out come the seeds & liquid
Shells after removing seeds - make sure to cut out bad spots


3. Chop up the tomatoes


4. Chop up the Onion into little pieces

5. Put the onion & tomato into a colander, mix it up, let the extra liquid pour out for a few hours - stirring every once in a while.  If you are NOT using the Bernardin mix, you can add your salt now and mix it up.
I use this old pasta cooker pot to drain liquid

6. Clean, Remove Seeds & Chop up the 3 Peppers into little pieces


7. Clean, Remove Seeds & Chop up the Hot Peppers into tiny pieces
Jalapenos & Sweet Hot Peppers
It's easy to use a small spoon to remove the seeds

8. Add it all together in a metal pot with the 1 1/3 Cup Vinegar, Extra dried Cilantro (to taste), and the Bernardin Salsa Mix (you don't have to use this, I just like it! You can get it a Canadian Tire in the Canning Aisle)
You can use whatever type of vinegar you want - today I used Red Wine
Find this at Canadian Tire in the Canning Aisle - its really good
Mix well

9. Prepare 6-7 500 ml canning jars - you can either heat up in the dishwasher or pour boiling water in them until ready to use
I like to do dishes just before canning & grab my jars from the dishwasher (fully sanitized & ready to go)

10. Heat up the water in your canning pot & pour some boiling water over your lids (leave them soaking in this)
This little magnetic wand keeps you from burning fingers when grabbing lids


11. Bring the salsa to a boil on the stove & fill your jars following proper canning practices
Just bring to a boil then spoon into jars
Fill jars with salsa leaving 1/2 inch space at the top
Remove the air bubbles by running this along the sides


12. Hot Water bath for 20 Minutes

13. Salsa!
Canned Salsa will last a year or more - write the date on the top




No comments:

Post a Comment