Hello!
We have a garden full of the ingredients for salsa, (and spaghetti sauce) :) ie. Tomatoes, peppers, onions, corn, garlic, etc.... I am ALL about making the salsa, and eating it, but in my mind the perfect salsa is some coarsely chopped ingredients (listed above), cilantro, s & p, maybe a spritz of lime juice. And whatever else to taste. Obviously I would love to make a whole lot and save it. However, canning seems daunting....
Any tips? The internet sometimes has too much information and has scarred me away from the canning, but freezing doesn't sound like it thaws properly and gets mushing. Nobody wants a mushy salsa ;)
My problems with the canning process are: (on the internet) people say that you have to use vinegar/lime juice, you have to have the right proportions, or it might be unsafe. It sounds like if you don;t do Everything exactly right, your product may be unsafe. Eeek. And do I need any special tools for the water bath besides, well, the cans/lids, etc and a huge pot. 'Cause I got all that.... but if I have to have a bunch of little knick knacky kitchen tools, well, I'm not investing that much of my kitchen space to special can holders.
THANKS for any advice!!!
K.
i love canning and i'm with you, no gadgets. i don't do anything different to my salsa recipe, i make raw salsa and either eat it or can it. i do wish i had a can lifter, but as i said, i'm sort of a ghetto canner. big pot, good jars and lids, and good fresh awesome ingredients.
khairete
S.
I can tomatoes every year, but I use a pressure canner, saves some worry.
If all you are doing is Salsa, you can freeze it - the trick is when you defrost it do it in a seive over a bowl. As it defrosts the liquid will drip into the bowl, you can then add back what you want to have the salsa the consistency you prefer.
Try the idiots guide to canning - it is a cute and easy way to learn. Also - lemon juice and or citric acid will also work. Tp avoid spoilage, you need to make sure there is a higher acid content.
I just tried my hand at canning jalapeno jelly and I was a little worried about it...but it was SOOO easy! My MIL makes jelly all the time, so I called her to make sure I had done it right since it seemed way too easy! It's not as bad as you think it's going to be! Good luck!
Hi Katie! It does seem daunting, but if you get the right info on how to make it safe, it takes A LOT of stress out of it.
I use the University of Minnesota extension website. They have tons of tips for safe canning.
I got a great recipe for salsa from www.recipezaar.com and then modified it with the U of M guidelines for safety by adding a tablespoon of lemon juice, lime juice or vinegar to each pint jar. I thought it was make it taste terrible, but it was the best salsa I have ever made!
Make sure you use bottled lemon or lime juice, as the acid content is more concentrated and that way you KNOW that you have enough acid in your salsa.
The only special gadget that I use besides the ones you listed is a jar lifter. It makes getting the jars out of the boiling water SO much easier.
No matter what anyone tells you, don't do a cold pack method or any other method that does not involve a boiling water bath. Tomatoes need to be properly sealed. Even if a jar seals after putting the hot liquid in, it needs to go into the boiling water bath.
Good luck!
Here is the U of M canning link!
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/00054...
you can also use the National Center for food preservation's website
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/
Good luck!
I've not canned Salsa - usually just make it and eat it, but I've been dying to make it. I have a canning book from "Ball" - the jar maker. Some things that you need to know - you can re-use the jars, and rings, but not the flat lids. I'm not sure if you have to use the water bath method for salsa or not - but if you do, what I used to do before I had all the canning stuff - I just used my biggest pan that was deep enough that jars could be submerged, and then I used a set of tongs & oven mitt to retrieve the jars from the hot pot of water. Walmart has a little kit - that actually has a jar lifter,canning funnel, and a few other things. They don't take up much room. "Oh - and make sure that the rims are wiped clean before you put the flat lid on so you get a good seal. Proportions are important - especially when canning - so you have the acid level correct for spoilage. I wouldn't experiment - but if you have a good tried and true recipe - I would use it and stick to it! Enjoy!
Here's my take on all the advice on canning. Buy a Ball Blue Canning Book and stick with the information in that. It has recipes for every kind of fruit/veggie that you might have. I think the FDA has recently recommended that pressure cannning be used for everything instead of hot water bath, but I am sticking to the recipes in the book for now, and that includes hot water bath. the way I look at it is: as long as you follow all proper sterilizing procedures that have been recommended for 100 years, then I feel good about the safety of the food I'm eating. Every great once in a while a jar won't seal properly. but you'll be able to smell a difference in the food that goes bad. I rely on my own senses to tell me if food is safe or not. It should have a good smell, texture, appearance. Don't be daunted.
Oh, and I do absolutely recommend buying tongs made especially to fit jars. the tongs are necessary and you'll be able to move quickly and confidently with the tongs when pulling jars out of and putting them into very, very hot water. Other than the tongs and a huge pot, I just use a couple of kitchen towels. Good luck!
You also need the tongs for the canning, you can get those in the canning isle. Good luck, sounds fun! What I usually do, It freeze some ingredients prior to making the salsa. There are some freezing tips here on my blog:
Get the ball complete book of home preserving. It is a lifesaver. It has tons of recipes (and several for salsa - very good) and it gives you step by step instructions. I used to be intimidated by canning but with this book - I feel confident.
I use a big stock pot because the water bath canner I bought took too long to heat up. It works with pints and 8 oz jars (good for salsa). I would invest in the following small items: a jar lifter and a magnet-on-a-stick. The magnet thing will get the lids out of the hot water for you...and the jar lifter is a lifesaver for getting the jars out of the pot.
If you can follow a recipe, you can do this.
Canning is really not that daunting once you get started. My grandmother used to can everything and I wanted to do the same so we could preserve our garden and unique finds at our farmer's market. You just need the basics: a large pot - a stock pot or even a seafood steaming pot works well, a pair of canning tongs, a pair of tons to grab the lids and some good ball jars with new lids. I would also strongly recommend the Ball Complete Book of Preserving. It is written very simply and has tons of great recipes. Good luck and have fun - I started canning 3 years ago and was a bit scared myself but now I love it!!!
My favorite website for help with canning is http://www.pickyourown.org/allaboutcanning.htm#sauceschutney
It can seem like a lot of info, but it has great step by step photos, and the quantities seem right. As far as the amounts of ingredients, it only really matters if you are making jams, jellies and the like because they have to jell, or set up so they aren't runny. Tomato based stuff is the easiest. You can double the recipe sizes as long as you have enough jars and pots to process everything fairly quickly. For example, once you prepare your tomato stuff, you need to get it sealed into the sterilized jars and into the water bath without delay. The main thing is find a good canning book or website where the writers have actually tested the recipes, then read it thoroughly before beginning. You really only need pots, jars, a set of jar lifting tongs and something to spoon the stuff into the jars. Funnels and magnetic lid lifters just make the job easier if you can a lot. Good luck!
