Preserving your garden vegetables to enjoy all winter is easy and delicious.
I have experimented for years to find the perfect salsa recipe. This one is by far our favourite.
If you have never canned to preserve food before, here are a few supplies you will need:
A water bath canner. You can often buy a starter kit with all the tools you need. Including:
Canning funnel (to fill your jars without a mess)
Large pot with a lid and a rack ( to process the jars in)
A canning lifter with grips ( to help you grab hot jars out of the boiling water)
A magnetic lifter (to grab hot lids after sanitizing them)
A bubble remover ( to help release air bubbles from the jars)
Jars and lids ( sizes vary depending on what you are canning)
RECIPE:
12 lbs tomatoes, peeled and chopped. ( a trick for peeling tomatoes here)
10 cups chopped onions
2 cups of vinegar
6 cans (6 oz) tomato paste
2 green bell peppers, chopped
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
4 jalepeno peppers, chopped ( seeds removed if you would like a mild salsa)
10 cloves of garlic
8 tsp. sea salt
1/2 bunch of cilantro
around 17-20 pint jars with lids and rings
Fill large water bath canner and start to boil water. Fill a smaller pot with water to boil to sanitize the jar lids and rings.
Add all ingredients (except cilantro) to a large stock pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 mins stirring often. Mix in cilantro.
Sterilize the jars in boiling water ( for at least 5 mins). Add jars and rings to boiling water to sanitize.
Pack the hot salsa into hot jars and leave 1/4 inch of room at the top ( use canning funnel). Remove air bubbles in jar with a bubble remover, knife or thin spatula. Wipe the rims of the jars with a wet paper towel to make sure there is no residue. ( jars will not seal if there is food between jar and lid.). Place lids and rings on jars.
Lower jars into boiling water, cover the pot and let process for 35 mins. Remove with your canning lifter and place gently on a cloth-covered surface. Let sit for 8 hours to cool and ensure seal. If lid has popped down, it is good to move to storage. If not, it needs to be kept in the fridge.
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