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Canning Tomatoes, Tomato Products and Salsa
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| Photo source: National Center for Home Food Preservation |
New to canning or need a refresher course? Check our general canning information page.
Important Salsa Information: Canning your own salsa recipe or changing the proportions of ingredients in a tested salsa recipe can be unsafe — see link below. Also, salsa must be processed in a boiling water canner for safety.
If you don't have a tested recipe or a boiling water canner, you might try freezing your salsa. Be aware there may be changes in texture and and flavor after freezing and thawing. Try freezing a small amount the first time. Herbs and spices may taste better if they are added fresh just before serving. Some cooks feel that a cooked salsa freezes more satisfactorily than one frozen with raw ingredients.
University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension Canning Publications
Let's Preserve: Tomato and Tomato Products
UNL Extension (EC 437, 8 pg. brochure). Procedures for safely canning a variety of tomato products; includes recipes for tomato sauces, ketchups, relishes and salsas, plus recommended process times. Questions or comments about this brochure? Email the author Julie Albrecht, PhD, RD.Canning Tomatoes, Tomato Juice
Brief, 2-sided brochure including recipes from Buy Fresh, Buy Local® Nebraska and UNL Extension. Questions or comments about this brochure? Email the author Julie Albrecht, PhD, RD.
Salsas
2-sided brochure including recipes from Buy Fresh, Buy Local® Nebraska and UNL Extension. Questions or comments about this brochure? Email the author Julie Albrecht,PhD, RD
Additional Canning Materials from Other Sources
The National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP) offers individual recipes sheets for a variety of foods plus answers to some common questions. The Penn State flyer gives both canning and freezing information for tomatoes.
Tomatoes (recipes / canning directions) (Source: NCHFP)
Includes juice, paste, whole or halved tomatoes, spaghetti and other sauces, ketchup.- Salsa recipes / information
- Sensational Salsas (16 pages of recipes - Source: NCHFP)
- More salsa recipes (links to individual NCHFP Recipes)
- Can You Safely Can Your Own Salsa Recipe? - It is difficult to tell if it will be safe. (Source: NCHFP)
USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning, 2009 revision
Penn State Canning Series (includes freezing information): Tomatoes
(2008 Update, compatible with USDA 2009 revisions to their home canning recommendations)
Please also see our freezing pages for more tomato recipes.
Quick Links to Canning, Freezing & Drying Sections
►Canning
- Fruits (includes canned pie fillings)
- Tomatoes and Tomato Products (includes Salsa)
- Vegetables (includes soups)
- Meat, Poultry and Seafood
- Jams and Jellies
- Pickles and Fermented Products
- General Canning information / What You Need to Know before You Begin Canning
- Frequently Asked Canning Questions (includes troubleshooting problems with canned foods)
- Altitude / Elevation information
- Unsafe Canning Practices
- Contacting Companies about Specific Products and Equipment
- Sources of Canning Supplies (such as ClearJel®, canning equipment, etc.)
►Freezing
►Drying
Yields
Approximate Yields for Canned or Frozen Fruits and Vegetables; Weights and Measures (Source: Clemson University Cooperative Extension) Weights of produce, such as for bushels, crates, lugs, etc (scroll down the page). They also tell the pounds of produce needed for 1 quart jar or container. NOTE: Tomatoes are in the fruit section.