Green Tomato Salsa

Green Tomato Salsa

So happy to say that last week, I not only got a crate of Concord grapes, but also a large box of green tomatoes from my aunt.  I have to say that it pays to tell people what you're wanting to do in terms of canning.  This is the second time that I have got a response that equals, "Oh, I have that growing in my backyard.  Would you like some?".  Yep.  Saving Money.  Going Local.  Putting up food for future use.  You bet I would.

I am especially fond of green tomato salsa because it makes a great soup addition to my Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo.  I just toss it in during the last five minutes of cooking.  It adds great flavor and helps thicken up the soup.  Other than that, green tomato salsa is also great served over cream cheese with crunchy crackers for dipping.

The recipe I use comes loosely from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.  I have adapted it a little.  I swapped out the lime juice for 1 cup of apple cider vinegar since it's what I had on hand.  I also omitted the cilantro and oregano.

So I started with clean, washed green tomatoes and a few red tomatoes and red peppers (to add a little color).

The tomatoes get peeled and chopped.  I try to remove as many seeds as possible but don't sweat it.  The recipe calls for seven cups of chopped green tomatoes.

Next, I rough chopped two large yellow onions, four jalapeno peppers, and one banana pepper.  You can use any combination of peppers.  I only chopped them into large pieces because I also ran it through the food processor for a finer texture.

 All the chopped veggies then went into a bowl together.

 Then I added some spices - 2 teaspoons of ground cumin, 2 Tablespoons of garlic powder, and  2 teaspoons of pepper.

I also added 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of canning salt.

Once everything was well mixed, I put it on the stove over a medium high heat and brought it to  a boil.  

After 10 minutes of boiling gently, it was ready to be jarred and processed.

Jars were filled to a half inch head space.  Lids then added and bands screwed on until finger tip tight.

Jars get processed in a boiling water bath for twenty minutes.   When twenty minutes are up, the stove gets turned off and the jars rest in the water for an additional five minutes with the canner lid off.  Once the jars are removed, they are allowed to sit for 24 hours undisturbed. 

* If you are in fact thinking of doing your own canning, please refer to a reliable source book such as The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving for all the exact measurements and details.  Also, always check with your local extension office for changes in time, temperatures, and higher altitude conversions.

This post is shared with Make Your Own Mondays, Fresh Bites Friday, and Homestead Barn Hop.