I love canning. There is something that is so thoroughly rewarding to me about putting food up. I love how you can take raw in-season ingredients and preserve them at their prime for use later on in the year when the craving strikes. Yet at the same time, I know how much work canning is, and it usually takes something pretty big to get me ready to go through the process. Well, I was thrust into it this week when I got the call that the pears were ready. Pears have a very short window when they can be picked and canned, and if I wanted to put up pears this year, I was going to have to grab the opportunity by the horns and run with it.
So I did. The kids and I picked a laundry basket full of pears, and then I processed them into 24 quarts of canned pears. And oh, do we love canned pears here. Up next, I happen to have for you a step-by-step guide to canning pears and other fruits. But today… Today what I wanted to talk about was salsa. Specifically, Annie’s Salsa.
Annie’s Salsa is a recipe that I’ve been eyeing up for years. It was created by a lady on Gardenweb by the name of, you guessed it, Annie. Annie has not only come up with a great salsa recipe, but she’s also had it approved for food safety by the people who test canning recipes for food safety. The best part about the recipe though, is that there are parts of it that are totally adaptable to your tastes, and to what you have on hand. Take, for example, the peppers. Total, you can use up to 1 3/4 cups of peppers in your salsa- your proportions of bell pepper to hot pepper. Like a hotter salsa- use a half cup of hot peppers, and 1 1/4 cups bell pepper. Like a mild salsa? Leave the hot ones out altogether. Add sugar to sweeten the salsa? You can, or you can leave it out completely. Add tomato paste to thicken? Again, you can, or you can leave it out and leave it au naturale.
I made my first batch of this salsa yesterday, using five serrano chiles and a bright orange bell pepper. The tomatoes happened to be mostly ripe green ones that were cracked, so they needed to be chopped up and utilized in something. I did add the sugar, and for the next batch I will reduce it, and for my acid, I used 1/2 a cup of bottled lime juice and 1/2 a cup of cider vinegar. The salsa turned out fantastic. A touch too sweet, but with a great burst of heat. We’re actually hoping it mellows out, because right now, it’s a touch on the firey side. One batch made five pints, and the one batch used ingredients I totally had on hand- either in the fridge or from the garden. I love that! Up next I’ll be making a batch with very little hot pepper, as the kids have requested a salsa that they can enjoy.
With the farmer’s markets and farmstands in full swing, I just couldn’t wait another day to share this delightful recipe. Plus, when you bump into someone while out and about, and they mention how they love your blog, they read it every day… Well, let’s just say I had a bit of blogger’s remorse, because the blog posts have all been safely locked away in my head, and I need to get them onto the blog!
Anyway, here is the recipe, along with all the adjustable parts. Don’t adjust what can’t be adjusted- it won’t be safe then- also, this isn’t approved for canning in quarts. Don’t know why that is, but it isn’t. Use pints, and process them in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
Annie’s Salsa
• 8 cups tomatoes, peeled, chopped and drained (I do not peel or drain)
• 2 ½ cups onion, chopped
• 1 ½ cups green bell pepper, chopped
• 3 – 5 jalapenos, chopped – (Any combination of green, red, whatever color peppers is fine. 3-5 jalapenos equates to roughly 1/4 cup, so total peppers cannot exceed 1 ¾ cups.)
• 6 cloves garlic, minced – (Do not increase.)
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1/8 cup canning salt – (For taste only. Can be reduced or left out entirely- I use it.)
• ¼ cup fresh cilantro, chopped –( Can be reduced or left out entirely. Do not increase. )
• 1/3 cup sugar – (For taste only. Can be reduced or left out entirely- I use 2 TBS brown sugar.)
• 1 cup 5% cider vinegar – (Must include full 1 cup of vinegar for BWB processing. However, may substitute bottled lemon or lime juice in any proportions according to taste (for example, 1/3 cup vinegar, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1/3 cup lime juice). Can use any flavor vinegar (white, cider, etc.) as long as acidity is at least 5%. )
• 2 cups (16 oz.) tomato sauce – (For texture only. Can be reduced or left out entirely.- I leave out)
• 2 cups (16 oz.)tomato paste – (For texture only. Can be reduced or left out entirely, I use 1 small can)
Mix all ingredients in a large pot, bring to a boil and boil for at least 10 minutes. Pour into hot pint jars, seal and process in a hot water canning bath for 15 minutes. Makes about 6 pints.
Mmmm….salsa looks wonderful! I didn’t make any this year and probably won’t as I’m about to be flung head-on into two month of being on call every 4th night…yay!
are you SURE this didn’t come out too vinegary? 🙂 I am afraid of making a canning salsa cuz of the strong vinegar component.
Josie, it’s delicious! I used 1/2 a cup of lime juice and 1/2 a cup of cider vinegar. I already made a second batch, and it’s definitely not too vinegary. I think if one used a full cup of white vinegar, it likely would be though- even a full cup of cider vinegar would be too much I think, but cutting it with half lime juice… mmm, it just tastes really good!
This salsa was so easy, as soon as I have enough tomatoes I’ll be doing it again. It took less than an hour start-to-finish.
My jars are in the dishwasher sanitizing… I am trusting you and trying this recipe 🙂
I hope it works out for you- I really like the recipe, and can’t wait to have another harvest of tomatoes to do it again- this time with some chipotle thrown in.