Answers to Common Questions About Home Pickling!
Here are questions and answers to trouble-shoot common home pickling issues.
See this page for other FAQs
FAQs for making pickles
Can I can my own salsa recipe?
Salsas are usually mixtures of acid and low-acid ingredients; they are an example of an acidified food. The specific recipe, and sometimes preparation method, will determine if a salsa can be processed in a boiling water canner or a pressure canner. A process must be scientifically determined for each recipe. To can salsa at home, use our recipes for Hot Chile Salsa or Mexican Tomato Sauce. Your County Extension agent may have additional tested recipes for salsas.
Which is better: Canning or freezing tomatoes: I'm interested in canning or freezing tomatoes, which is best? I would primarily be using them for my chili recipe, which I normally use canned diced tomatoes. Second question, can I dice the tomatoes before freezing or canning, or should I just quarter them as you recommend and then dice them when cooking the meal.
If you plan to later cook with the tomatoes, freezing retains the flavor best. If you will be using then uncooked (for example, on a salad), canning is a bit better at retaining the texture.
So, for you chili recipe, I would freeze them. You can dice them before you freeze them; that would probably be easier!
Can you freeze the tomatoes and then use them later to make a large batch of spaghetti sauce, salsa, etc. and then either can or re-freeze?
Sure! If it is just a matter of days or a few weeks, that works great. I just do the prep steps to the point of producing the prepared pulp (through step 7 on this page http://www.pickyourown.org/canning_tomatosauce.htm ) then freeze in a ziploc bag until I have enough to them heat them altogether and finish the process.
I have lots of little grape tomatoes. Can I dry them?
I heard tomatoes are high acid, but your website says they are low acid. Which is it and what type of canner is required?Certainly! Grape and cherry tomatoes are not the ideal candidate, since they have a lot of water and seeds, but they’ll work!
That sounds like confusion between low acid and non-acidic. High acid foods can be safely canned in a water bath canner. Low acid foods may need the addition of acids like lemon juice or vinegar to acidify them enough to be canned in a water bath canner. Non acidic foods require the pressure canner.
Tomatoes for many years were considered high acid. However, new varieties, over-mature fruits, and tomatoes from dead or frost-killed vines may have a pH greater than 4.6. The USDA and University-based researchers have determined that to ensure a safe acid level for boiling water canning of whole, crushed, or juiced tomatoes, add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or ½ teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon of citric acid. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling the jars with product. Add sugar to offset acid taste, if desired. Four tablespoons of 5-percent-acidity vinegar per quart may be used instead of lemon juice or citric acid. However, vinegar may cause undesirable flavor changes. (Source: USDA's National Center for Home Food Preservation )
I recently canned tomatoes but had one little jar that I didn't have room for in the water bath. So I decided to just refrigerate it. All I've done to those tomatoes is blanch them -- haven't cooked them, stewed them, done anything else. There is some lemon juice in them. They've been refrigerated since I packed them -- how long will they be okay to use?
They’ll last about the same length of time that a can of tomatoes from the grocery store will last once you open it an put it in the fridge. I’d guess a couple of weeks, but that depends on how cold your fridge is.
See these pages for other FAQs
- General Canning Process
- Why do I need a canner?
- Pressure Canning
- Can I use a water-bath canner instead of a pressure canner for low acid foods like green beans?
- Jars, Lids and Containers and popping noises!
- Spoilage, leaks and sealing,
- Additives and Ingredients
- Using honey in place of sugar
- Vegetables
- Squash and pumpkins
- Fruits
- Jams and Jellies
- Meats
- Miscellaneous Questions
- Free Resources About Storing
Free Resources About Storing
- Storing Home Canned Foods
- Packaging and Storing Dry Foods
- Food Storage for Safety and Quality (Colorado State University) pdf
- Cupboard Approximate Storage Times (Kansas State University) pdf
- Refrigerator/Freezer Approximate Storage Times (Kansas State University) pdf
- Proper Care and Handling of Fruits and Vegetables From Purchase to Preparation (Penn State University) pdf
- Storing Vegetables at Home (University of Wisconsin) pdf
- Safe Home Food Storage (Texas A&M University) pdf
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Canning booksCanning & Preserving for Dummies
Click here for a larger photo, more information, pricing, ordering, etc. |
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The Ball Blue Book of PreservingThis is THE book on canning! My grandmother used this book when I was a child. It tells you in simple instructions how to can almost anything; complete with recipes for jam, jellies, pickles, sauces, canning vegetables, meats, etc. If it can be canned, this book likely tells you how! Click on the link below for more information and / or to buy (no obligation to buy) Price $8.95
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Home Canning KitsThis is the same type of standard canner that my grandmother
used to make everything from applesauce to jams and jellies to tomato and
spaghetti sauce!. This complete kit includes everything you need and
lasts for years: the canner, jar rack, jar grabber tongs,
lid lifting wand, a plastic funnel,
labels, bubble freer, and the bible of canning, the Ball Blue Book. It's much cheaper than buying the items separately. You'll never need anything else except jars and lids (and the jars are reusable). To see more canners, of different styles, makes and prices, click here! Average Customer Review:
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