WHEN THE TIME IS RIPE

If the farmers markets, home gardens and grocery stores are any indication, tomato season is here! Tomatoes are abundant at this time of year and it’s likely you may find yourself with more than you need. Instead of having tomatoes for breakfast, lunch and dinner, why not can them? You’ll have fresh tomatoes for sauce in the middle of winter.
All tomato varieties from grape to green are can-able and with a few simple steps you’ll be on your way to preserving them at their peak!

1. Sanitize your jars and lids. Quart-sized glass mason jars work well and you can sanitize them in your dishwasher or in a large pot of boiling water.
2. Remove the tomato skins. Similar to how you would blanch vegetables, dunk tomatoes in boiling water for less than a minute and quickly transfer them to a bowl of ice water. The skins will slide off easily.
3. Cut the tomatoes into chunks (leave grape or cherry tomatoes whole) and place them in jars leaving ¼ inch of space at the top.
4. Add lemon juice and boiling water. Spoon 2 Tbs of lemon juice into each jar (1 Tbs if using a pint-sized jar) to retain the color of the tomatoes and prevent spoilage, then fill the rest of the jar with boiling water.
5. Release any trapped air bubbles and seal the jars.
6. Perhaps the most important step in the entire canning process is placing the jars in a large pot covered with an inch of water and boiling them for 45 minutes.
7. Let the jars cool, untouched, on a countertop for up to 24 hours. Make sure the lids are tightened and locked down, label them with the canning date and store in a cool, dry and dark place.

If DIY isn't your cup of tea or you're too pressed for time, you can still have the taste of good 'ol canned tomatoes with Eden Foods.