Tomato Adventure

Finally, here is the update on my tomato preserving adventures. As a novice preserver, I’m pleased (relieved, even) to report that the tomato canning exercise seems to have been a success. Special thanks are due to Mum and Auntie Linda and that trusty Kiwi classic, the Edmond’s Cookery Book!


Preserved tomatoes

To date, I have canned seven quarts of tomato puree in glass preserving jars with dome seals, using the “overflow method.” These 7 jars are the result of boiling down some 14 kilos of tomatoes.

This is what I did:

*Cut up the tomatoes with skins still on, and made a puree using a stick blender.
*Filled a large stock pot with the puree, and simmered it for a couple of hours to reduce.
*Added a little salt.
*Heated the preserving jars in a 120 degrees celsius oven for 30 minutes.
*Put the seals in boiling water for 5 minutes.
*Took hot jars out of the oven one at a time to be filled with hot puree and sealed.
*Added 1/2t of citric acid to each jar to ensure sufficient acidity to inhibit growth of bacteria.
*Filled each jar to the very top (almost overflowing).
*Placed hot seal on top of jar, using tongs.
*Wiped off any excess juice, and fixed the seal in place with a screw band.
*Checked the jars after 12 hours of cooling to see if they had sealed properly.
*Removed screw bands and labelled the jars.

I’m sure we will value the taste that the tomatoes will add to our winter fare. Since sun drying (and even storing dehydrated products) can be problematic here due to the high humidity, and freezing uses so much energy, canning some puree seems like a good way for us to preserve our tomatoes. Fortunately, canned tomatoes do not require added sugar for successful preservation. We opted not to add other ingredients to the puree, in order to keep it as simple and versatile as possible.

There is so much going on here at the moment, and lots of posts I’d like to write for the Farmlet website. My brother and sister were visiting here for about ten days, so we took lots of time out to have fun with the family. We had a wonderful time, and I miss my brother and sister now that they are gone. Still, it’s good to be getting back to the regular work schedule around the Farmlet — not to mention a more regular blogging schedule!

5 Responses to “Tomato Adventure”

  1. BG says:

    You could always sun-dry some tomatoes, then store them in olive oil with garlic and some other spices for a nice treat year round!

  2. Nicole says:

    Interesting method. We’ve always used a hot water bath so the tomatoes and jars get heated and sealed all at once. (Although for safety, we always sterilized the jars first anyway.)

    Mmmm… looks yummy!

  3. Rebecca says:

    Hi, BG. Sundried tomatoes are so delicious! Your suggestion makes my mouth water. Sadly the climate here would probably make their manufacture pretty difficult. It’s so humid. I thought about trying to dry them in the oven, but it seems that would take an awful lot of energy.
    Funny you should say that about the hot water bath method, Nicole. I was thinking of using that method until I talked to my mother and aunt, who always use the overflow method. I decided to use their method, so that I could call them for advice if I needed it.

  4. Nicole says:

    With someone to call for advice — I would use that method, too! I haven’t canned anything in years…decades, really. I plan to start this fall with tomatoes and berries (if any survive long enough). I am keeping my eye out for a good used pressure canner for next year’s experiments. They are VERY expensive here and you rarely see one used because the lady in front of you has already snatched it up.

    You’ve experimented with fermenting. Don’t forget the pickled garlic!

  5. BG says:

    We ended up getting a really nice pressure canner at a local Goodwill thriftstore for about 20.00 used, and it works great! We’re planning on making strawberry jam and tomato sauce too! Hey Rebecca, have you and Kevin ever considered raising emu’s for eggs and meat? I’ve been trying to get in touch with a breeder here in Oregon, but no luck so far…:-( I’ll keep trying though!