The Best Homemade Salsa for Canning
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Mild, medium, or hot, this is The Best Homemade Salsa for Canning. It's perfect for chips and salsa, or topped on your favorite Mexican food.
Author:
Recipe type: Condiment/Salsa
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 28-30 cups
Ingredients
  • 25 tomatoes, peeled and quartered
  • 4 onions, chopped
  • 4 green bell peppers, chopped
  • 5 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro (2 bunches), chopped
  • 3-8 jalapeños, chopped (4 with seeds is a medium spice)
  • 1 cup white vinegar
  • ¼ cup canning salt
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
  1. Make the salsa:
  2. Place all the ingredients in a large pot that holds at least 3 gallons. (If you do not have a pot that big, you can mix all the ingredients together, and then divide the mixture half and half into two pots. However, it's best to use a big pot if you have one. The salsa does cook down, so you will lose a couple of inches from what it starts out at.)
  3. Next, bring the salsa mixture to a boil, then turn the heat down, and let it simmer for 3 hours.
  4. In the meantime, sterilize 14 pint jars or 7 quart jars and place the lids in a pot filled with water on the stove. A few minutes before the salsa is done simmering, bring to boil the pot with the lids.
  5. When the salsa is done simmering, use a canning funnel to ladle the hot salsa into the jars, leaving a good inch of space at the top. Do not fill the jar to the rim.
  6. Next, thoroughly wipe the rim of each bottle with a damp, clean washcloth or sponge. Make sure there's no salsa on the rims so the jars will properly seal.
  7. Place a hot lid on each bottle and tightly screw a ring on each bottle.
  8. Processing with a Steam Canner:
  9. Frist, place the rack in the steamer, and fill the steamer with water to just below the rack. Do not let the water go above the rack.
  10. Next, using a jar lifter tong, place 7 jars of salsa on the rack. (Most steamers can hold 7 jars.)
  11. Put the steamer lid on and turn the burner on to medium high to high.
  12. When steam consistently comes out of the hole(s) on the steamer, start the timer for 30 minutes for pint jars and 45 minutes for quart jars. It takes a little bit of time from turning the burner on and seeing the steam coming out.
  13. Next, follow the steps below starting with Step 21.
  14. Processing with a Water Bath Canner:
  15. When using a water bather, some people like to heat the water first, but it can be dangerous if the bottles are not the same temperature as the water.
  16. A few minutes before the salsa is done simmering, pour some water in the bather and let it heat up. (You can do this at the same time you are preparing the lids.)
  17. Next, add a quart or so of room temperature water to the bather before you put the bottles in.
  18. Put the rack in the water bather.
  19. With a jar lifter tong, put the hot jars of salsa on the rack and lower them into the water. Make sure there is an inch of water covering the top of the jars. Add more water if needed.
  20. Put the lid on. When the water comes to a rolling boil, start the timer for 30 minutes for pint jars and 45 minutes for quart jars.
  21. Next, carefully remove the salsa bottles with a jar lifter tong and place them on a thick folded towel, a drying rack, or a cutting board. Whatever you use to place them on, it needs to be stable.
  22. Let the salsa bottles sit undisturbed for 24 hours before putting them in the pantry or storage.
  23. Enjoy!
Recipe by Real Life Dinner at https://reallifedinner.com/the-best-homemade-salsa-for-canning/