Canning Salsa

A tested, shelf-stable salsa for water bath canning, built so you can take the heat anywhere from mild to wild. Adapted from Choice Salsa, National Center for Home Food Preservation, University of Georgia.

Prep Time45

Cook Time15

Processing15

Course: Condiment, Salsa, sauce

Cuisine: American

Keyword: canning salsa, salsa for canning

Servings: 2-tablespoon serving

Calories: 7kcal

Author: Mike Hultquist

Equipment

Boiling water canner with rack
6 pint jars with new lids and bands
Jar lifter
Canning funnel
Bubble remover or headspace tool
Large stainless steel pot
Dry measuring cups

Ingredients

6 cups peeled cored, seeded and chopped ripe tomatoes, ¼ to ½ inch pieces
9 cups diced onions and peppers any combination of sweet and hot, ¼ inch pieces (see Notes for heat levels)
1½ cups bottled lemon juice or bottled lime juice
3 teaspoons canning or pickling salt
1 tablespoon dried seasonings, total (optional; cumin, Mexican oregano, granulated garlic, smoked paprika or your own blend)

Instructions

Prep the jars. Wash your pint or half-pint jars and keep them hot until you fill them. Prepare your lids and bands according to the manufacturer's directions. Fill your canner and start heating the water.
Peel the tomatoes. Dip washed tomatoes in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, until the skins split. Move them straight into cold water, then slip off the skins. Core them, remove the seeds, and chop into ¼ to ½ inch pieces. Measure 6 cups.
Prep the onions and peppers. Peel and dice the onions. Remove seeds and membranes from bell peppers. For hot chilies, remove the stems and keep or remove as many seeds and membranes as you like for heat. Dice everything into ¼ inch pieces and measure level in dry measuring cups for exactly 9 cups total. Wear gloves for the hot chilies.
Cook the salsa. Combine the tomatoes, onions and peppers, bottled juice, salt and any dried seasonings in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring. Reduce the heat and simmer 3 minutes, stirring to keep it from scorching.
Fill the jars. Ladle the hot salsa into the hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust the headspace back to ½ inch if needed. Wipe the rims with a clean damp paper towel. Apply lids and bands, fingertip tight.
Process. Set the jars in the canner with water covering them by at least 1 inch. Bring to a full rolling boil, then start your timer. Process half-pints or pints for 15 minutes at 0 to 1,000 feet elevation, 20 minutes at 1,001 to 6,000 feet, or 25 minutes above 6,000 feet.
Cool and check seals. Turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and let the jars rest 5 minutes. Lift the jars onto a towel, 1 inch apart, and let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Check that each lid is sealed and curves down in the center.

Notes

Makes about 6 pints

Heat levels. Keep the onion and pepper total at exactly 9 cups and choose your peppers by heat. Suggested fills with 2 cups onion and 7 cups peppers:

No heat: 7 cups bell pepper
Mild: 6 cups bell, 1 cup poblano or Anaheim
Medium: 4 cups bell, 3 cups jalapeño, seeded
Hot: 2 cups bell, 5 cups jalapeño and serrano, seeds in
Very hot: 4 cups jalapeño, 3 cups habanero
Wild: 6 cups jalapeño, 1 cup ghost, reaper or scorpion

Dried seasonings. Any dried herbs and spices work. Keep the total to about 1 tablespoon so the seasoning doesn't overwhelm the salsa. Don't add fresh herbs or fresh garlic.

Swap by volume, not by count. Trade cup for cup when you swap peppers, never pepper for pepper.

Use bottled juice only. Don't substitute fresh squeezed citrus, bottled key lime juice or vinegar.

Don't change the proportions. Don't increase the onions and peppers, add other vegetables, add fresh garlic or fresh herbs, thicken the salsa, or reduce the juice.

Batch size and jars. You can halve this recipe. Don't double it - make two separate batches instead. Use pint or half-pint jars only.

Storage. Remove the bands, wipe the jars, label and date them, and store in a cool, dark, dry place. Use within 1 year for best quality. Refrigerate after opening. Refrigerate any jars that didn't seal and use them within a few days, or reprocess within 24 hours with a new lid. Discard any jar with a bulging lid, broken seal, mold, spurting liquid or an off smell, without tasting.

Leftovers. Refrigerate any salsa that didn't fit in a jar and enjoy it fresh.

Nutrition