Salsa
Delicious, fresh-tasting salsa. Cans well and is a great way to use up those bountiful end-of-season tomatoes!
Delicious, fresh-tasting salsa. Cans well and is a great way to use up those bountiful end-of-season tomatoes!
- Carbohydrate 26.6873806128138 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.664651374181529 g
- Fiber 5.36775945678374 g
- Protein 3.49304548462818 g
- Saturated Fat 0.12237379661258 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Pint (387g)
- Sodium 1200.52643887422 mg
- Sugar 21.3196211560301 g
- Trans Fat 0.214822153785908 g
- Calories 121 calories
Step-by-step
- Simmer 1/2 hr, stirring often, at the end of cooking time add 1/2 bunch of cilantro if desired.
- Jar and process, 35 minutes for pint jars and 45 minutes for quart jars.
- Makes 8 pints
- Enjoy!
Why is high-acid vinegar non-negotiable when canning fresh tomatoes? Raw tomatoes possess a naturally fluctuating pH that often hovers near 4.6, sitting dangerously close to the threshold where Clostridium spores can survive and produce toxins. Introducing measured acetic acid drops the overall pH safely below 4.6, creating an inhospitable environment for harmful microorganisms during long-term storage.
Simmering the mixture for thirty minutes accomplishes two critical physical transformations simultaneously. Excess water evaporates from the chopped cellular walls of the onions and peppers, concentrating the natural sugars and tomato paste solids into a thick, cohesive condiment rather than a watery soup. Concurrently, thermal energy denatures native pectinases, enzymes that would otherwise break down the structural integrity of the vegetable fibers and turn the mixture into a thin puree.
Evaluating doneness requires observing specific physical cues rather than relying on temperature readings. The batch has reached its optimal consistency when the liquid no longer pools separately from the solid particulates along the edge of the pot, and the diced peppers soften just enough to lose their raw crunch while retaining distinct boundaries.
Proper thermal processing secures the finished jars against spoilage through sustained heat penetration. Processing pint jars for thirty-five minutes and quart jars for forty-five minutes in a boiling water bath ensures that the internal temperature of every container reaches the required lethal threshold for any residual microbial life.
