Canning

[karstic]

Does anyone have any good recipes for sundried tomatoes or canning stewed tomatoes. We are going to be overrun here soon by the killer tomato plants and need recipes and ideas quick.

[ranchwife]

If you're wanting to can stewed tomatoes - that's easy. ###From what I remember, you put the tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes than remove them and slip the skins. ###Pack your jars with the tomatoes and water bath them for the required time. ###Ball canning makes a good canning book with great recipies for stewed and sundried tomatoes. ###
My favorite way to process tomatoes is to cut off the stem portion of the tomato then Puree the tomatoes in a food processor (skins, seeds included). ###I them measure out 2 cups of the puree and place it in freezer zip-lock bags. ###My tomatoes held up GREAT in the freezer and I think they taste a whole lot better than canned tomatoes. ###They also worked great in my marinara sauce and any other recipe that called for stewed tomatoes. ###
I can't believe that you already have plants producing tomatoes - ours up here are just blooming and won't start producing friut for a few more weeks - as long as it doesn't freeze anymore.

[karstic]

Ranchwife,

About half the blooms have gone to fruit on our tomato plants, so we are going to have our hands full. I'm just trying to get ahead of the game. Oh and it hasn't been exactly cold down here in southern California.

[Speckmisser]

You know, if you guys get overrun by tomatoes, I have just the place for extras. ###Of course, neither of you is very close to the Bay Area, but I'll give you a beer (or a soda) when you get here. ###:)

Isn't that generous of me?

[paulc]

good to know there are fellow gardeners out there. we just got thru asparagus season. (i never get tired of them). now our tomatos are looking good as well.. maybe 1-2 weeks away from major volume, green beans, squash are right behind..
ranch wife i was up your way this last week. my dad just got a place in johnstonville and it looks like some very promising hunting in the future. saw tons of quail and ducks and also saw a bachelor group of 4 bucks with half developed antlers.. ###some great country up there.

[henriksson]

I have got a recipe for tomato jam that my mother used to make. It goes well with poultry and meat. It is one of those things that get better with age. I tasted soem that was 10 years old or more and that was great. Anyhow, here is the recipe:

2 lb ripe tomatoes
2 lb sugar
1 cup distilled white vinegar
4 cinnamon sticks
30 whole cloves

Boil up the sugar and vinegar. Add the tomatoes (cut in pieces) and the seasoning. Skim and let boil for 40 minutes. Pour into canning jars.

I would avoid using an aluminum pot for this. It is not good for the pot and may not be good for you either. My parents used to store this stuff in the basement where it was cool bgut not refrigerated.

Good luck with your tomatoes.

[Don]

Here is a site that may help you also

http://www.canning-food-recipes.com/

(Edited by Don at 12:03 pm on June 24, 2002)