Saturday, August 16, 2008

The Best Salsa Recipe for Canning



30 tomatoes peeled and chopped
2 green bell peppers
2 red bell peppers
10 cups chopped onions
10 cloves garlic
4-5 yellow banana pepper or 1 cup chopped jalapenos
1/2-3/4 cup sugar
2 cups vinegar
8 teaspoons pickling salt
2 teaspoons black pepper
2 large cans tomato paste

Simmer 1 1/2 hr, stirring often, at the end of cooking time add 1/2 bunch of cilantro if desired.
Jar and process, 35 minutes for pint jars and 45 minutes for quart jars.
Makes 17 pints

Enjoy!

This recipe came from my mother in law, Doris. She got it from her Canadian friend Fran.

We use less sugar and more jalapenos. Either way it is delicious and a great way to make use of all those garden tomatoes.

We use this salsa in place of rotel for a cheese dip, also added to mashed avacados with lime juice for guacamole and my hispanic friends like to eat it on rice. And of course, it's used as a dip for tortilla chips or topping on other mexican dishes.

185 comments:

Jonara Blu Maui said...

I bet it tastes so incredible with all those garden grown tomatoes. Though I woudl like to leave all the sugar out. I make salsa as well with no sugar..no cooking either. But this is for canning so is probably different. Well I take back that no cooking..I do put my hot peppers and some of the tomatoes under the broiler to brown them a bit for flavor.

So I'm not getting notices on feedblitz for your last few posts..I wonder whats up with that?

Belle Adorn said...

I think the sugar and vinegar balance each other out and there is a preservative quality in both for color and taste. I would not put sugar in fresh salsa either.

We did learn though by experimenting that less sugar worked just as well, but some is needed. Because I had a batch I added no sugar to and it got way too acidic.

Feedblitz can be so slow sometimes. I don't know why you wouldn't have had these recipe posts by now though...I'll have to check into that.

bellahope1 said...

Hi! We're going to try this but can you tell me how long you need to process it? And you mean putting it in a "hot bath" and boiling it in the jars...right?

Deb said...

What size is a large can of tomato paste? Thanks!

Carolann said...

Can you post how long to process the jars in the hot water bath?

Thanks!

Belle Adorn said...

Yes, a hot bath is simmering hot water an inch over the lids of the jars. Be sure your jars are good and hot with hot product when you put them in hot water to avoid breaking the glass from too much of a temperature difference.

Process for 35 minutes if they are pint size jars, 45 minutes if they are quart size.

Deb, there are two sizes of tomato paste at most stores here in the us.. sorry for those not in the us, but I have no idea how many oz are in the larger size can!

Carolann said...

Thanks very much!

Carolann said...

Do you definitely need the pickling salt? I wanted to make this today, but I don't have any and would like to avoid having to run to the market. Thanks!

Belle Adorn said...

No, not at all. I have fudged it many times. Though a kosher salt or sea salt may be better than iodine salt? Maybe the iodine does something over time? I've never looked it up the reason myself, but that's what I've guessed...

Anyway, I have used my regular iodine salt and did just fine with salsa, even stored for a couple of years.

Anonymous said...

my daughter made this recipe, and i've become a salsa junkie...it is sooo good....thanks for great recipe

Penny said...

I am making this now... already in love with it! Thanks so much for posting your recipe. It's more work than I thought it would be but I think it's going to be soooo worth it! Thanks again!

Any ideas on how to waterbath the 4 0z. jars? I have googled it and cannot find anything on it.

Thanks...

Belle Adorn said...

I'm so pleased you all are enjoying it!!! It is a very good recipe.

I posted this last year and I'm happy folks are still finding it here.

4 oz is a very small amount. Do you have a canning book from Ball or Kerr or any of them? I would guesstimate 20-25 minutes would be plenty of time for that small of an amount.

Thanks for all the feedback! I really appreciate it. Tina

Penny said...

Just thought you'd like to know how I found your site. I googled for canning salsa recipes and yours was one on the first page! Pretty cool, huh? I'm so glad I went with your recipe. It is GREAT!! The color is great and I've seen some salsas that were pretty ugly after being cooked. My husband and I were eating it all night while I canned it.

I processed the 4 oz jars for 20 minutes. What a pain those little jars are! I love them for when you just want some for yourself or to take to work, etc. I wish I could have figured out a way to do more of them at a time though??

Thanks again for the sharing such a tasty recipe!!

Unknown said...

Thanks for the recipe. I love it, but I am wondering how long it will last on the shelf. Mind giving me an estimate?

Chelsea + Brandon said...

Thank you so much for this recipe! It is SO good!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Gma Rob said...

30 tomatoes equals about how many cups? I have all different sizes of garden tomatoes.

Anonymous said...

For those needing canning instructions, call your Home Extension Service. The phone number can be found in the phone book or call the State University in your state. The Home Economist will be pleased to mail you all types of canning instructions and also answer any questons you have.
Frances

jewels513 said...

Hello my name is Julie,I have never canned salsa before . So Please help . Do i chop all the stuff up and simmer for 1 1/2 hour.And do i leave the skin on?? Thank you!!

Belle Adorn said...

Yes you do chop up the veggies but no, you do not leave the skin on the tomatoes. You prepare them like you would canned whole tomatoes and then chop them. You can also use a food processor. It is the best way to go! You'll see what I mean after you've had all that jalapeno pepper juice on your fingers(and hopefully not in your eyes!).

Please refer to a canning book put out by Ball or Kerr etc.. or refer to your home extention office like Frances suggested for general canning instructions. It's easy to do, so don't be deterred, but the sterilizing steps and all the details of canning properly are very important.

Once I go to all the work of preparing the food and cans, I may as well get the whole job done right is how I figure it!

Marci, your salsa will be good at least 2 years, maybe even longer. The color could change a little after a couple of years too and get a little darker. If your lid is secure when you open it up for use, and it smells good too, then it should be fine. Give it a taste test if you are concerned before serving it.

Gma Rob, it doesn't matter if you end up with 26 large ones or 36 small tomatoes, just guestimate it to 30 medium out of what you have. Use the best quality tomatoes that you have. It will all end up tasting great.

jewels513 said...

Hello my name is Julie, I haver never canned salsa before . So please help. Do i choped it all up and simmer for 1 1/2 hours and do i leave the skins on the tomatoes??
Thank you , Julie

jewels513 said...

Thank you Belle,Hope it all works out . I'll let you know. Have a good day!!

LindaMarie said...

I was looking for a recipe for salsa. I have used the Mrs. Wages mix before, but want homemade salsa. I came across your recipe and since my family loves Rotel your note caught my eye. When I clicked on your name and saw you were from Richmond I was so surprised. I am your neighbor across the river in Wellington! Small world indeed. I am looking forward to trying the recipe. Thank you for sharing.

jewels513 said...

Bella , Julie here .
I made the salsa today . What alot of work, but it sure is GOOD !! Thank you!!

Belle Adorn said...

Linda Marie, cool! glad you found me here and hope you enjoy the recipe.

Julie, glad you tried it and liked it! A food processor and some helpers, like children or a spouse, make it go a bit easier and faster...

Tina

Heather Soelberg said...

Since finding this recipe I trashed my old recipe and have made 4 batched just this fall. This is definitely the best salsa ever! Just a note, I did not have all the bell peppers or Jalapeños that was called for so I used a total of 4 cups of a variety of peppers from the garden. STILL the best!! Thanks for the recipe.

Belle Adorn said...

Awesome Heather! So glad you're enjoying it.

We do the same thing with this recipe, trying to keep to the ingredients generally, yet working with what we've got on hand is great.

I love all this feedback. Thx everyone and keep it coming!

Unknown said...

Can you use can tomatoes? I want to make this for Christmas gifts....we eat a TON of salsa in this part of Texas...well, EVERY part of Texas, I think! No fresh tomatoes available now but would love to use this with canned.

Anonymous said...

I enhanced this recipe by cutting my onions into thick slices, brushing with olive oil and grilling them prior to chopping and adding to the salsa. I did the same with red, green and banana peppers. I don't recommend leaving out the suger...it really makes a difference.

Belle Adorn said...

Thanks for the suggestion of grilling the onions and peppers. That sounds really good. Yes, I agree that the sugar is important, though it can be cut back a little.

Cathey, yes you can use canned tomatoes I'm sure, but fresh would be best!

Mireya said...

I made this recipe last summer and sent the jars as Christmas gifts to family and friends. So many people have commented how wonderful it is! Thanks for sharing :)

Belle Adorn said...

Thank you Mireya. It's very good of you to write to me and let me know you enjoyed it :) Now if only my jewelry were as popular as my salsa! Tina

Yoga Britta said...

What do you think about adding pineapple?

Mindy said...

I made your salsa today. It was my first time to can salsa and it pretty much took all day, but it is sooo good! I think I might do it again. I blogged about it and linked to your post. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

Belle Adorn said...

It is so good, isn't it Mindy?! I'm glad you gave it a try and like it so well.

Yes, it does take time. It really helps if you can get some volunteers in the kitchen. I start the process of blanching my tomatoes and taking off the skins while others get the rest of the vegetables washed, peeled etc. A food processor helps so much! Dedicating a few days to it helps too, if you want enough to store for the winter.

Desiree Broussard said...

Making the Salsa right now looks and tastes like a excellent recipe. I chopped everything up with my cuisnart 4 cup chopper and put a little less sugar and more jalapenos and it tastes great. Thanks for the recipe.

Desiree Broussard said...

Oh and I meant to say I doubled the recipe it took me about 4 hours with fresh tomatoes & Jalapenos out of the garden and the food chopper as my helper :)

Anonymous said...

Hi, have you ever added corn to your salsa? I made some 2 years ago and it was all gone within a few months so there was no time for the corn to turn bad if it was going to. I thought maybe the acid in the tomatoes are enough to keep the corn preserved with just the hot bath.

Thanks, Jeff

Anonymous said...

I leave now in Croatia and I'm using grams so I really need to now oz on 2 large cans tomato paste please.

Anonymous said...

From Croatia again, can I use canned jalapenos because I'm not sure where to find fresh here in Croatia. Thnx

Belle Adorn said...

Jeff,

I think you are probably right about the corn being okay in the salsa. I would perhaps keep the salsa in the hot water bath an extra 5-10 minutes. Sounds yummy! Or you could just add corn when you serve up a pint or quart.

Croatia, my small cans of tomato paste are 6 oz. So I would guess the larger size are approx 10 oz. Just use a size that gets you close enough. If you have to use several small cans to make up the difference it will work. This size of a batch won't make a huge difference one way or the other as long as it's close enough. That's how I cook anyway! Sorry to those of you that prefer a more exact method.

Thank you for your questions and comments!

Belle Adorn said...

P.S. Fresh would be best, but yes the canned jalapenos would be alright if you can't find fresh.

Anonymous said...

hi...do you think i could half the recipe?? it's rather early in our garden season but we're super excited to try this recipe!!!!

Belle Adorn said...

Sure you could half it. I would rather have a bigger batch while I go to the trouble, but that's just me :)

laurie_g said...

I'm very excited to try out your recipe especially with all the great comments you've received. However, can you tell me what type of tomatoes work best? Roma, Plum, or regular field tomatoes?

Belle Adorn said...

Hi Laurie~ My personal fave for salsa or spaghetti sauce is the Roma type. They are fleshy and don't have to cook down as much for a thicker sauce. But any tasty tomato will work. We grow a big variety of different tomatoes and I end up using whatever is ripe that day when I'm making salsa. Please let me know how you like it!

Anonymous said...

I live in Missouri and they only have the small cans of Tomato Paste here. I did find a larger can of tomato paste online though, and it is 12 oz. as in right here: http://store.pastene.com/merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PU&Product_Code=TOMA8033&Category_Code=

Some people mentioned the cans might be 10 oz....it looks like they are 12 not 10. :) Enjoy!

Belle Adorn said...

Thank you for sharing that bit of research! Tina

Anonymous said...

I took your recipe and made the 2nd double batch today and used lemon juice instead of vinegar. It is amazing. Thanks for posting such a good recipe.

Angie said...

Do leave the garlic cloves whole or do you mince them? I am right in the middle of making this so hopefully you respond soon...........

Belle Adorn said...

Minced, pressed or processed with the food processor. Sorry I didn't see this sooner! good luck.

Elizabeth said...

Hi, I'm new to this...Is this a hot water bath or pressure canner?

Belle Adorn said...

Hot water bath. Tomatoes usually are :)

Anonymous said...

This recipe is amazing! So good. Thanks for posting it.

Kathy P said...

Instead of all vinegar, could you do half lemon or lime juice and half vinegar? Wouldthe acidity be close enough?

Cherie said...

You can safely sub lemon juice for vinegar but not the other way around. Lemon is more acidic than vinegar so when a recipe call for lemon it is often because that acidity is required. Because this is salsa the tomatoes are already acid enough. if you use low acid tomatoes though then I would highly recommend subbing lemon for vinegar just to be safe. This recipe is awesome! I do use lemon instead of vinegar mostly because I like the taste better.

Belle Adorn said...

Thanks for answering Kathy, Cherie. I did not know that little fact about the vinegar and lemon juice. Glad everyone is enjoying this recipe!

Anyone here have a good recipe for habanero raspberry jam? or how bout strawberry jalapeno???

Anonymous said...

hi belle just wondered if you have ever made your salsa with a canned bean mixture? kell

Roberts Family said...

Hi, I would love to try this recipe out but am wondering if you can use a steam canner in place of a water bath canner? I know with some fruits you can use a steam canner but since this salsa has spices and other ingredients I'm not sure if it would be safe or work properly. Thanks so much

Tionna

Belle Adorn said...

Kell, No I've never added beans. I would suggest adding beans and/or corn to the salsa while serving but not for the this part of the process.

Tiona, bless you, you must be a newbie. You can use your pressure canner just like a hot water bath canner. You won't need to use the lid to the canner and your water level will be higher to cover the tops of the lids. Please read over all these comments for tips and read your canning book for how to hot water bath tomatoes... If you don't have a canning book you can pick one up for about 5 bucks wherever you purchase canning supplies. When you get used to all the instructions it will become like second nature to you. It's like riding a bike! Enjoy!

Tina

Anonymous said...

Do you know how much extra time to add when canning at 5600 ft? Is it just the extra ten minutes or is it more?

Belle Adorn said...

Hi~

No, I'm sorry I don't know about canning in higher altitudes. Do you have a canning book? That would be a good place to start. Perhaps your extension office can help or doing some online research?

Tina

Anonymous said...

I also googled "canning fresh salsa" and yours was the first on the list! I made salsa for the first time today using all of your ingredients but the last two. My mom has been experimenting with recipes and has tried adding some other spices like chili powder, cumin, and fresh oregano. I was raised on many home grown canned foods and glad to see so much interest in it. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Kelly

Anonymous said...

I am making this right now. I am at the simmering stage. But, I tasted it and it is already delicious.

Belle Adorn said...

Wow that's cool to come up first in a google search!!! Thanks Kelly.

Anonymous, I'm glad you already know how good this salsa is gonna be :) Happy canning!

Carolyn said...

I am going to make this recipe this week, from all the comments I can hardly wait! I'm using Roma, so do I put the number of tomatoes up since they are smaller size wise then slicing tomatoes? In other words does the ratio of tomatoes and other ingredients need to be a certain amount for safety? Thanks!

Belle Adorn said...

Yes Carolyn, I would increase the number so you get an average amount of about 30 regular tomatoes. Your Romas will be delicious in this! Enjoy and let me know how it turns out please :) Tina

Carolyn said...

Do I leave the tomato paste out if using Roma tomatoes?

Anonymous said...

Wow! An answer back so quickly! Not used to that! Thank YOU!

Carolyn said...

Opps! "Anonymous" is me, Carolyn. :)

Belle Adorn said...

No, Keep it in there. It makes it a bit richer and is part of the success of this recipe, in my humble opinion. ha ha ha.

I do try to reply as soon as I can. I'm not always near a computer though... so can't make promises.

Belle Adorn said...

Oh good! Real names are so much nicer. Carolyn is my mother's name and a very nice name too.

Anonymous said...

I cannot wait to try out this recipe. I read all the comments and I am stoked. I will let you know how it turns out once I get the chance to try it. Someone told me that after you blanch all the tomatoes to let them sit in the fridge over night to dump the excess water that separates. Do you recommend this? What do you do to get the excess water out of the tomatoes. I am hoping to make my salsa as chunky as possible. Any suggestions?

Belle Adorn said...

I would not recommend doing it that way... I suppose you could though. Sometimes I give my tomatoes a little squeeze to get out excess juice and seeds. It's not really required though.

This is a very chunky salsa, especially if you are careful to pulse your food processor so that the veggies aren't chopped too small. When I do 'steps' ahead and save the job to the next day, sometimes things come up that get in the way of my plans and then too much time goes by and I end up with produce I have to give to the chickens or throw in the compost.

You will want some juices in your salsa. It cooks for an hour and a half. It would be a shame if you burned the bottom and ruined the whole batch!

Now I hope I haven't discouraged you. Please let me know how it turns out. ~Tina

Anonymous said...

You haven't discouraged me lol. I will let you know how it turns out as soon as I get enough tomatoes out of my garden to make some. I do not have a food processor so I will be doing all the cutting by hand any tips for cutting by hand? And thanks so much for the speedy response!

Belle Adorn said...

It's so much easier with a food processor, so if you've ever wanted one or a need good excuse to get one... Now's your chance! ha ha ha. Chopping of the tomatoes goes very quickly and it's a juicy mess. I like to chop next to the sink with my pot down in the sink. There are so many onions you may want to burn a candle near by and have a box of tissues! The peppers get very hot on your fingers so you may want to put on gloves. Get a helper too if you can. It's gonna be so worth it!!!! Chop chop chop :)

Anonymous said...

Thanks a bunch. How spicy is this recipe would it fall under the mild, medium, or hot. I prefer mild spicy but my boyfriend prefers super hot. So I was where this falls so I might have to half it to make it by the recipe and then a hotter version. If this recipe is more on the mild side what should I do to make sit hotter? Just add more jalapeno peppers?

Belle Adorn said...

I would call the heat of this recipe medium. You could add some habaneros for more heat. That has worked for us!

Carolyn said...

It's nice to know that it's a medium heat, I was wondering. Also, my Romas are large so I'm figuring 3 romas per 1 "regular" tomatoe. If you think it's too many let me know. I usually weigh everything...my 45 romas that I picked weigh 8 lbs. which is what I would use for half the recipe, I hope to have that much more in a couple days and then make it, --

I'm typing with my contacts in, hope I'm not too unreadable! :)
gotta get some reading glasses.

i'll sign off fornow happy canning!

Belle Adorn said...

I would probably do 2 to 1 since they are such a fleshy tomato and large Romas...

Anonymous said...

I want to try this recipe for making salsa the thing is I have never canned anything before, i just bought the hotwater bath thing, the utensils to pick up the jars, and then i bought the jars. Do you know of any sites about canning so i know how far to fill up the jars and how much water to put in the bath and so on... thank you so much

Anonymous said...

I blanch the tomatoes right? Then what I know I peel the skin off, then do I cut them up and remove seeds? Or do the seeds stay in? What about excess water? Do I peel the tomatoes and then squeeze them? Thank so much for your help!

Nicole said...

By simmer you mean to just cook it on low or number 2 for an hour and a half? You never bring it to a boil?

Belle Adorn said...

Please get a canning book.

You will be able to constantly refer to it and refresh your memory with it from year to year even, as things are forgotten over winter. They are not expensive and are also full of recipes.

It tells you how to blanch, how to sterilize, has charts for how much time you need for what product in certain sized containers etc!!!

I would be willing to bet that your grandma, mother or aunt has one she'd be willing to give you if you asked!

I love my old ones cuz they are cool! But a new one is also handy with more modern recipes.

Carolyn said...

Thanks Belle! I'll let you know how they turned out! :)

Carolyn said...

Hey Belle (Bella :) ) I could not find large cans of tomatoe PASTE, did you mean tomato SAUCE? Thanks!

Belle Adorn said...

Busy night of homework, sorry!

No, it is tomato paste. Two six ounce cans of paste is equal to the one large can of tomato paste.

Carolyn said...

Perfect! I bought 4 small cans and the sauce is in the midst of processing.

WEIGHT OF TOMATOES
For those of you who weigh things like I do - I used 13 lbs. of whole tomatoes which turned into 10lbs. of peeled/chopped tomatoes. I will get 16 pints so next time I will add about 2 more pounds of peeled/chopped tomatoes.

HEAT
We like light to just slightly over that heat-wise. So, I used 3/4 cup of jalepeno and it's great!

HERBS
I put fresh in, we shall see how it is when completly done. From my taste test so far......AWESOME!!!!!

THANKS BELLE! :)

Nicole said...

Thank you so much for this recipe. I finally got enough tomatoes from my garden to make this and it is soooo good! I halfed the recipe and only got 5 1/2 pints rather than 8 so not sure what was up with that but it tastes so amazing! Thank you!

Anonymous said...

Great recipe, we tried roasting ours rather than cooking it on the stove.... took a lot longer but the flavour was excellent!

Niki R said...

This is the 2nd year we are canning salsa with your recipe and is our 2nd time ever making salsa!! It is wonderful and so easy. This year we even made out first garden and used all our own veggies it is wonderful.. Thank you so much for sharing your recipe, I will not use another..

Belle Adorn said...

I'm so glad you're all enjoying this recipe! Thank you for your sincere comments. Tina

Anonymous said...

Tried this recipe last; really, really good! Used it tonight for quick goulash (Ground beef, macaroni, and salsa) Hubby said it tasted better than the salsa we usually use. Thanks for sharing Belle!

Anonymous said...

How long does it have to sit before I can open a jar and try it. I'm making it now and it looks FANTASTIC!

Penny said...

You can eat it right out of the pot while it's cooking... we did. Best salsa E.V.E.R!!!

Belle Adorn said...

Penny's right! Eat some before it's ever put up if you like :)

There is usually a left over amount that doesn't quite fill a whole jar, so I will keep that one out to cool on the counter and it goes directly into the fridge... if there is any of it to put in the fridge after everyone eats on it.

Anonymous said...

As my tomatoes are starting to ripen I was just searching for a salsa recipe,yours was the first hit and looking at all the positive comments I know I will be trying this,I will let you know how it turns out. Thanks

Anonymous said...

I made this salsa on Wed. and it was good, but I had tons of small yellow pear tomatoes, plus romas and large steak tomatoes. So, I hope that I got the acidity correct. Makes me a little nervous after reading up on it a bit. I added about 3/4 cup vinegar to each 5 1/2 quart pot, plus about 2 Tbs of lemon juice. What do you think?

Connie said...

thank you for such a fantastic recipe! I googled salsa, found your recipe, and a friend and I have now made 58 jars! It's fantastic...we absolutely love it.

Do you have a good recipe for canning pasta sauce?

Connie in Canada

Belle Adorn said...

As long as you are close to the original recipe, I think your acidity will be fine.

Connie, 58 jars is wonderful! I did have a really good spaghetti sauce recipe. I'll see if I can find it for you and let you know.

Leslie said...

Hi! Planning to make this salsa this weekend with my extended family. We are hopeful that we will LOVE it and that it will replace all other recipes. :)

I've read through all the comments, and didn't see anyone ask about shortening the cooking time. Do you think we would get a good result with, say, 45-60 mins of cooking time? Most recipes we have used before didn't cook this long and I am trying to streamline our time in the kitchen. Thoughts?

Thanks so much.

Belle Adorn said...

I think it would be okay, Leslie, just not quite as thick. So you'll have to see what you think as you go...

If you can get extra canner's canners going with your extra help that will speed it up too. You can even try using a turkey fryer outside. We've done that for apple sauce.

Have a great weekend! It's gonna be beautiful here. and good luck.

Anonymous said...

My Husband n I made this salsa today n we are in love with it. we made it just as it was. We think it was perfect!! don't know what the comments are about leaving the sugar out.
there's not that much ,n u need it to balance out the acid of the tomatos.I think our tomatos were a little big cause we ended up with 20 pints. Not one will go to waste, we're already thinkin.. Christmas baskets!! Thank you!!

Anonymous said...

Made a double batch last night,taste wonderful,this recipe is a keeper,Thank you so much, Nicole

Jess said...

I am simmering now(tasting as I go LOL), have been cooking for about 45 minutes so far. It tastes GREAT! I was nervous at first when all I could smell was the vinegar, but after I added the sugar and cooked it down a bit it was awesome!
I just used what we grew in our garden! My poor tomatoes are still green, so I had to go to the farmers market(they had flats/boxes for $5!) for my tomatoes.
We grew(and used), cukes, garden salsa chilies(can you tell ive been planning on canning salsa? LOL), Rainbow Peppers, Onions, Garlic, and very fresh corn.
So I am waiting anxiously to start filling my jars!
Only one problem, I didnt buy enough jars!! ROTFL...So I asked a friend good at canning and she said I could seal the salsa in an airtight container and can the remaining stuff as long as I do it within 24hrs. So after work tomorrow I am finishing up the rest! Its 1030p here and I really dont feel like driving to the supercenter to buy more jars this late :))
I just wanted to say THANKS! Mine got this great smoke flavor from my dried chilies, garlic, & paprika! Im making more next week!

Belle Adorn said...

Nicole and Jess~ It's wonderful that you're enjoying this recipe. and having fun experimenting too.

Thanks to everyone for their comments.I believe the more posts we make about it, the more google likes it and puts it up for others to find.

Enjoy!

Anonymous said...

My husband asked me if I was going to can some salsa this year and I told him if I found a good recipe I would - and this one soundd GREAT! Quick question, when you chop the peppers do you take the seeds out of everything or leave them in? How about after you peel the tomatoes? What would happen if you roasted the tomatoes and left the peels on, would that work? Thanks for sharing your recipe, can't wait to try it out.

Belle Adorn said...

Hi. You will love this recipe!

I remove my seeds from the peppers and I remove the skin from the tomatoes. I do no like skin left on tomatoes so I would not recommend it. But perhaps after roasting, the skin will slip off the same as they do when you blanch them...? I've heard of roasting the peppers and onions but not tomatoes for salsa.

Let me know how it turns out,especially if you decide to do something different.

Enjoy!

LaLanya said...

MMMM salsa. I was looking for an apple salsa recipe that did not have peaches. I really want to try your recipe now so I may just end up adding some apples to it and some lemon juice just to be sure, hmmm I may cut back on the sugar just a little as well. If I get around to making it this weekend (my list of apple canning keeps getting bigger) I will let you know how it turns out. Thank you!!

Unknown said...

Hi, I have a bunch of roma tomatoes that I would like to use for this recipee out of my garden so could you possibly tell me how many cups of tomatoes are in this recipee?

Anonymous said...

This is an anmazing receipe and by tweaking it for the amount of tomatoes I had this summer along with my own onions and peppers I can truely say I have genuine homemade salsa. Made some real hot batches this summer and we had a party added one pint to refried beans and some genuine local cheddar grated and wow was it good. Thanks for sharing.

murky3500 said...

I can't wait to try out this recipe! I have about 60 lbs of tomatoes after cleaning up our garden, but about 8-10 lbs. are cherry and grape tomatoes. Do you think I could use these up in this recipe?

Belle Adorn said...

You could use grape and cherry tomatoes, but they would be a pain for removing skins, unless you have food mill or sqeezo that you could put them through that would keep the skins out. My suggestion for those is to freeze them. Just clean them, plop them in a freezer baggie and use them for roasted vegetables. I have a delicious recipe from martha stewart for just such a thing! Search rosemary lemon chicken on her site. Easy and delicious! Good luck!

readyrid said...

Followed recipe except I used all red bell peppers. My mom swears that it has chili powder in it. I am tempted to show her the recipe to prove her wrong, but I am resisting because now I make the best salsa in the family and I don't want to share "my secret recipe." LOL Glad you don't feel that way. Thank you for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Tina, I have used your recipe for now the 2nd time. I made it as Christmas gifts last year and I have had so many people RAVE about how wonderful it tasted (even my husband told me not to give it all away this year). I am making the salsa with my kids. We space the chopping up over a couple of days. This year we have some paper bags we are decorating (the kids are) and we are also enclosing a bag of Chips to eat with the salsa. I can't believe how much I have to make - that's the price you pay for goodness I guess.
Thanks and Happy Holidays all!
Heather from Canada

Anonymous said...

Thank-you for the wonderful recipe. The first time I made it it was great! It burned just a little at the bottom of the pot but did not affect the taste. This time around, there is a weird smell, I think it's becasue it burned at the bottom again.... how can I cook it for an hour and a half without burning the bottom? I had it at low/med. and even brought it lower after the smell started. I even changed pots at one point. It's got a hint of a some weird taste (I am ashamed to say) and I was wondering if there is anything I can do to save it. Any tips?

A Slice of East Texas said...

Very good recipe. I cut it in half - using 15 lbs of tomatoes. This gave me 20 cups of chopped and crushed with juice. The end product was a little sweet (I should have left out the sugar since I used heirloom tomatoes which are naturally sweeter). I added 2/3 cup of chopped cilantro, 2 Tbl of cayneene pepper and a couple extra cloves of garlic. I included the seed of the jalapeno peppers and it still isn't what I would call 'hot'.
I ended up with 12 pints of salsa.

Belle Adorn said...

Dear anonymous from June 16, 2011,

You have to stir the pot. There is no other way to avoid burning. I checked my directions which are very simple (sometimes experienced cooks take certain things for granted as far as what people know to do), but it does state there, "stirring often". You can walk away for a minute to go do something, but don't walk away for long. I always suggest getting a helper in the kitchen if you can.

Thanks to all the recent posters. So glad folks are still enjoying this recipe. Tina

Anonymous said...

Wow! Looks like a great recipe. I can't wait to try it. One question, Does it matter what type of vinegar I use? Cider or White?

Belle Adorn said...

I use white vinegar, but would be willing to use cider if that's what I had on hand. I'm sure either would work fine. Enjoy!

Tina

Anonymous said...

Awesome! I have 15 for dinner tomorrow night. I am going to make it tomorrow morning. I think will try cider vinegar. The last time I made salsa I used White and it was way too vinegary! I am sure it will be a hit! Thank you!

Kim

Unknown said...

About how many onions equals 10 cups chopped?

Abby said...

This is going to be my first canning recipe! I bought 1/2 pint jars --- how much head space am I going to leave??? Since they are 1/2 pint jars, would I process for 17-18 minutes instead of the 35 minutes?

Belle Adorn said...

Alelau, I estimate ten large onions for 10 cups chopped.

Abby, if this is your first time, please read over your canning book really well and all of these comments too. I would cook the pint jars for 25 minutes at least and leave about an inch head space. The depth of the neck of the jar where you screw down the lids is a good visual.

canoeingmom said...

Found your blog while searching for a salsa recipe. After reading a few entries I saw that you are from Missouri. I too am from Missouri. We live in Columbia and I am assuming you are from Richmond. I am going home tonight and make this. Can't wait!!

Abby said...

Made the salsa this weekend as my first canning project and it turned out beautifully! I forgot to get cilantro and I definitely plan to add it next time. We used heirloom tomatoes so it was a bit sweeter than I would typically like but it was YUMMY regardless! I agree with everyone who suggested having a 'canning buddy' - you want someone there to help you stir for that 90 minutes. :-) Thank you for posting this great recipe!

Belle Adorn said...

Terri, I really don't know the answers to your questions. I would never go to all the trouble of making a canning recipe and then not follow the directions fairly closely. I would suggest to refrigerate and eat them up quickly. Good luck.

Abby, I have forgotten the cilantro from time to time. I mark the cans with a +C or -C to remind me which is which! I'm glad you like it!

Kevin said...

I used this recipe last year but forgot to bookmark it. Like someone else had said, I was glad to find this at the top of the Goggle search. Wonderful recipe!

JuJu said...

This is such a great recipe! This is the 2nd year we will use it. This year we planted a bunch of different sweet and hot peppers, so will be using some different peppers this year. When we made it last year, I had used 2 banana peppers and 2 jalapenos. I tasted while cooking and wasn't hot enough, so I added 2 more jalapenos w/ the seeds to make it hotter. This year I am adding way more peppers, no seeds. I have those little hot cherry peppers that have such a wonderful flavor by themselves - a booger to get the seeds out of, but worth it - can't wait to see how it turns out. Also, I don't normally keep garlic on hand, so I have always used granulated garlic - works just as well. This salsa has become my husbands very favorite, so he is planning on making some all on his own this year...scary thought! Don't know if I should plan on being gone for the event and just available by phone, or stay around for the fun of watching the show! lol Thanks so much for such a great recipe and memory-maker!

John said...

This was my first time making salsa, i enjoyed it a lot, and this is a delicious recipe. I put twice as many jalapeno's as it called for, and it still isn't quite as spicy as i would like it, but my family enjoys it! I did not have cilantro on hand, so i did not use that. Overall, great recipe! Thanks for sharing!

christa said...

Could i substitute fresh lime juice in place of the vinegar? If so how much lime juice do you think? Approximately how much tomato paste by cups? I've heard of placing jars in the oven and then filling with hot salsa, then back into the oven, do you think this would be better or work instead of all the boiling? Thanks. Christa

Belle Adorn said...

Christa, If you want to change the recipe for salsa that you will store in the fridge and eat soon then that may be fine, but I would not take out the vinegar or try to process in the oven... no no no. Food poisoning is terrible and not worth the risk! That's my humble opinion :)

John, Juju and Kevin.. so glad you like this recipe and thank you for your comments!

Anonymous said...

I made this salsa last year for the first time and my husband and I LOVED it. We loved it so much that I was willing to buy tomatoes in the dead of our VT winter so I could make a second batch of it after we devoured our first batch. My only complaint about this is that we have now turned into salsa snobs and the store bought salsa just doesn't cut it anymore! :) This year, I'm making 3 or 4 batches so it will take us through to next year (hopefully!!).

Luda said...

As much as i like this recipe 2 cups of vinegar seems way too much for me i added 1 cup to the same amount ingredients deff less hot peppers and less tomato paste and will see how it will preserve. I just can't taste so much vinegar in salsa even with one cup it taste so vinegary to me.

Anonymous said...

mmmmmm after reading the recipe and comments I'm going to attempt making this today. I am from Ontario, Canada. Thanks for sharing!

Unknown said...

I was searching for this recipe in my file this morning and couldn't find it! Thank you for leaving it up on the Web! I'm overrun with tomatoes and today is the day to SALSA! I've used your recipe since it was first posted and have never been disappointed! Friends and neighbors actually ask for jars as Christmas gifts - along with a bag of chips! Thanks again for such a great recipe.

Unknown said...

I made this today! Thank you for sharing!

Anonymous said...

Quick question..since i have no concept of (lbs) can you please tell me the amount of tomotoes in cups???? Looking forward to trying to make this tomorrow..will let you know

Anonymous said...

I have the same question about how many cups of chopped tomatoes.

Amber said...

I made this today and sis exactly what you said except I used my regular iodized salt and added 2 tsp of cumin cuz I like it in my fresh salsa. I tasted it a few times as it was simmering and LOVE it:) Thanks

SuperNan79 said...

First attempt and excited. Just a few tips that helped get me through... two words- "knife sharpener". Priceless for chopping the tomatoes.

Also, using a dishwasher to run your jars through before use not only sanitizes them, but has them hot and ready to fill while your salsa finishes simmering :-) Wish me luck- first time bath canning.

Anonymous said...

I made this recipe with some changes. I used cherry tomatoes changed a couple things and it made 14 jars. Everyone loves it. Three plants made a LOT of salsa

Lauri/Texas said...

Found this recipe today and cannot wait to try it based on all the comments that I have read. My neighbor has the tomatoe garden and I have the peppers and onions, so we are going to tag team this.

James/MS said...

I made this recipe last year an it was great except it was not spicy at all. I used the one cup of Jalepeno's less seeds and veins. What can I do to elevate this to a medium salsa. Can I add cayenne pepper and if so how much would you suggest.

Anonymous said...

Is that cider vinegar?

Anonymous said...

i have lots of cherry tomatoes but don't want to blanch and peel them...think it's ok to just chop them up and use them??

Belle Adorn said...

Hi! Regular vinegar is fine.

We have heated up this recipe ourselves by trying different things. Less salt will heat it up and I've learned that the heat of a pepper is in the membrane, not the seeds. We have added some habanero and got it HOT! Try the cayenne if you like. Please let me know what your experiments have produced!

You can leave the skins on, it will not affect the preserving process of canning. I personally do not like tomato skins in canned goods. One good way to use up those zillions of little tomatoes is to roast them. They are delicious roasted with potatoes, mushrooms, onions, rosemary, olive oil and lemon juice. Or just roast them with garlic and olive oil to top a pasta dish. They come out so rich and tangy.

Hope this helps.

Anonymous said...

I used this recipe last time I made salsa and it was a HUGE hit with everyone. Thank you so much for sharing, I plan on using it again this year.

Unknown said...

I made this today, took a few liberties with the recipe to adapt to our taste and I didn't add any sugar. It is a wow! We love it. I will definitely do a larger batch for canning when I have enough tomatoes in a couple weeks.

Charles said...

I made this recipe Sunday, it turned out awesome. My friend at work likes hotter, so more of the hot pepper and not so many others. I got carried away for color and put red, green, yellow, and orange bell peppers in for color, bannaa peppersin as well as jalepeno peppers. I also used red, yellow and white onions.

Jamie said...

wow! this recipe was posted 4 years ago and is still getting rave reviews! Lots of great tips here in the comment section as well. I myself was searching for a good salsa recipe that can be canned, especially since all of my tomatoes decided to ripen at the same time. I am for sure going to try out this salsa recipe! thanks!

Anonymous said...

Love this recipe, my sister and I made a batch and a half. We didn't peel the tomatoes a little skin won't bother us! We also added 2 cans of corn and 3 cans of black beans to the full batch, can't wait to eat it!

Charity said...

my mom and i made this salsa last year and it was AMAZING!! we are making it again this year *today actually* i cant wait.. we made 2 batches last year 1 mild and 1 a lil more spicy.. Every1 we gave a jar too LOVED it and asked when we were making more..

ohio_gal said...

Did everything as stated, but have nothing but a watery tomato slurry. *blech*

Tina said...

Doni, Charles, J, anonymous, and charity I'm so glad you've enjoyed this recipe and taken the time to tell me. Ohio, you must be missing something.... That's all I can say!

Anonymous said...

Just putting the last batch into the hot water bath...mmmm......good!!!!!!!!!! I added about 10 jalapeno and 6 hot red peppers, and it's got an awesome snap to it!! The sugar and vinegar balance out...beautiful consistency!!

ohio_gal said...

The flavor was pretty spot-on; it was the consistency that disappointed. I should have known better than to cook/simmer this for 1 1/2 hours, though, so kinda my fault. We prefer a much 'chunkier' salsa so next time I will try a paste variety tomato - like Roma, chop everything coarser, and only simmer for 20-30 minutes beyond bringing it to a soft boil.

Tracy said...

Hi there!

I randomly found this recipe while looking for a salsa recipe for my husband that would taste similar to Old El Paso. He never seems to like the salsa I make.. although everyone else does so I was on a mission to please. Anyway... this salsa was perfect in every way.. I made a few batches and modified the quantities and types of peppers as it's a pretty mild salsa if you prepare the recipe as shown. I will be using this recipe from now on. Thanks so much!!

Anonymous said...

HELP! Can I add chopped Olives to the recipe and can it?????

Anonymous said...

please translate tomato amounts into how many cups of chopped tomatoes, as I am using grape tomatoes peeled every one!!

Sherry said...

I discovered a tip to working with hot peppers a while back, after rubbing my eyes... again! Haven't seen it posted yet so here you have it. If you wash your hands, rinse them with white vinegar (to not smell like a pickle wash again with soup and rinse with water) takes all the heat off the hands!

Sherry said...

thats supposed to read wash again with soap... its still morning up here in the great white North

Caitlin said...

i thought this recipe was absolutely wonderful - very flavorful and perfect balance of ingredients...if you want to make it spicier, i suggest adding one really hot chili, chipotle powder seemed to get lost in the salsa. thanks so much for the great recipe, its our fav for sure!!

Anonymous said...

This recipe was AMAZING! Thank you so much for sharing :) The only difference which I cant figure out how was I only ended up with 10 pint jar? >
Not sure how it happened.

but Thanks so much for this! :)

Phyllis said...

This is my 3rd year using this recipe. I have had great success every year and while each batch is a little different, they all have been amazing. Great gifts for Christmas, birthdays and just something to take when invited for dinner. I use it as a base to make gumbo and serve over rice. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

Your Wine Lady said...

FINALLY!!!! I made this last season and everybody begged me for a jar. Been searching for hours trying to find this recipe again. I will certainly follow your blog from now on. That will learn me!

Unknown said...

I haven't been active writing this blog for many years, but I hesitate to take it down because of this recipe! So many people express their appreciation every year and I'm so glad you all are enjoying it.

The thing about adding olives, corn or beans, I cannot say it's okay. Those types of foods require pressure so I would ask someone at your local extension office about adding such items to the salsa. My suggestion would be to add those non acidic foods at the time of serving and leave them out of the canning process all together.

Tina

Exy said...

I'm so glad you haven't taken this down. I found this my first year of canning and it was absolutely the best recipe. I saved it on my phone instead of writing/printing it.. and then my phone crashed!! Last summer I tried so hard to find this recipe but was unable.. this year I got lucky and entered the right search words. I've tried others and NONE compare. Thanks so much for this recipe!!

Jim In Michigan said...

Well Belle.....=)

The wife and I celebrated the 1st of September today by throwing out all of our recipes for canning salsa and we found yours on the net ...so we did it. Just finished and we had to guess a little bit over the amount of tomatoes you called for so with a bit of guesswork involved, we just completed the task at hand and the jars are still hot. So I ended up with a couple of more green peppers in the recipe, a cum or so less onion, and otherwise, pretty much on cue. Had to add a bit more Vinegar for the qty. of tomatoes and the one thing I did differently was I did add lemon juice into each jar, 1 small capful per pint, 2 per quart. We ended up with 25 pints. I thought I would do a little cost sheet for this project as well. So I did purchase 1/2 bushel of regular tomatoes as well as a bunch of Roma tomatoes from our own. I then used our garden green peppers 5 of them and 3 small red peppers from our garden. Purchased a small bag of Jalapeno peppers from a local farmer as well as a few mild and sweet green peppers. Bought a 2 pound bag of candy sweet white as well as some big sweet red onions and a nice Vidalia or two....didn't want to just throw one kind in there and don't really know why I felt that way!! lol ..Anyway, used fresh garlic bulbs and here is what I came up with for cost ...11.00 for bought tomatoes plus figure maybe 5.00 for my own used garden fresh Roma. 4.50 for all onions combined. 4.50 in peppers combined and 1.50 in Garlic bulbs I think ...throw in the Paste we bought at the store at 2.00 total and we are on to my own peppers .maybe a 1.50 or 2.00 so I am guessing the total cost at about 31.00 ? Now of course, we forget the cost of the jars. but 30cents a jar on lids and rings ....so throw in another 7.50 or so to the 31.00 and we are close to 38.50 ....So I am guessing I could toss in another buck or two for vinegar and sugar and lemon juice used etc...put it at 41.00. At 25 pints (16 Ounces)we are close to 1.55 per jar cost ? Now of course, I managed to sneak in a few kisses with the wife while we were sharing this labor of love, priceless, a couple of hugs and lots of good conversation while our adult children were out of the house ...also priceless ...and our feet and backs are killing us 8 hours later...lol ...but hey ...We did it ...and while we did taste along the way as we went, we will have to post in a few days after we crack one of them open and share our opinion once we have tried it on a chip or two!! Thank you for the recipe...we really tried to adhere to it as strict as we could ...and for the first time in years and years, we did somebody else' recipe and took our own thinking out of it ...results to follow soon!! Sorry for the long post ..From Michigan!! Have a great day!! Jim and Kim

Jim In Michigan said...

Sorry for a typo or two above was meant to be a "cup" of Onion less ...and I think the cost was suppose to be 1.65 a pint or so ...Sorry again

Jim

Unknown said...

Jim and Kim, I can't wait to hear what you think of it! Tina

Jim In Michigan said...

Awesome stuff for sure!! Thank you to Belle for the recipe ...Tina ? I wasn't sure if that was your name but ...this was incredible and we like it so much we may even do another batch this year. Gifts and handouts for the friends and family!! Love it. Thank you much!

ODDS said...

Did anyone ever answer the question about how many cups 30 tomatoes would yield? My tomatoes were all sizes. I want to make sure I have the proportions correct so my canning is safe.

eggfrmr said...

I just finished a double batch. Second year in a row. I really appreciate you leaving this blog up, but I did copy and paste it after realizing how old it is. I can't risk losing it. I have been making salsa for years and my kids say that last years was the best I've ever made. So thank you!

Gene Peacock said...

I am making this right now, i made a change i hope is ok. Instead of sugar i shredded 4 cups of carrots. I think this should do the sugar part and it's got to be good for your eyes.

Gene Peacock said...

great salsa, carrots worked great but next time i will reduce it down some from four cups. it is sweet.

eggfrmr said...

Another year and another batch on the go (3rd year). Two of my children have moved out this past week and both asked for their own supply of this salsa. So I am making a huge batch. Thank you again for this fantastic recipe!

Kellie said...

Just canned 16 pints of this and it smells A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. TY for sharing!!

eggfrmr said...

I ended up making 57 pints last year, in 3 different batches. Made on batch hotter for my son. One batch sweeter with no heat for one daughter and a nice medium for myself and another daughter. Just starting on the first batch for this year. Can't thank you enough for this recipe!

Shelley Rampton said...

Are the cooking times the same if using a steam canner?

Unknown said...

Shelley, I've never used a pressure canner for tomato products. Your canning books can guide you for an appropriate cooking time. Tina

Unknown said...

Shelley, I've never used a pressure canner for tomato products. Your canning books can guide you for an appropriate cooking time. Tina

Victoraia said...

Hi this is going to be a long shot but I'm making this right now but after reading about the acid levels and salsa spoiling can you please give me a rough idea of how many CUPS of Tomatoes you use. I have 45 cups after removing about 20 cups of juice after chopping them. My canner was full to the top so I drained them and ended up with about half the amount. I measured just over 5 8cup measuring cups. I still have the juice to add once I figure out how much lemon or vinegar I should use. I want to add some cumin too but not sure how much Thanks Victoria from New Brunswick Canada

Sherrie J. said...

Oh my goodness. This recipe is so amazingly delicious. It's mild, which is what we like. But I'll be making a few more batches...and one batch will have a few more hot peppers so I can gift my son with several jars! I made the salsa exactly as the recipe suggests. I used mostly roma tomatoes and several regular size. It was easy to do using my food processor for chopping everything except the tomatoes. I ended up with 17 pints and about 2/3 of a pint just for us to put in fridge and eat up now. Thank you so very much for keeping this post up. As the others have said...it's so nice to read all the comments. That's pretty much what sole me on deciding on using this recipe. But also, the ingredients sounded perfect. And I like your instructions. Everyone keeps asking about the amount of tomatoes. I didn't measure after I had them all chopped. But I did weigh them before they were processed and had about 14 pounds. I would say I used about 44 roma tomatoes and 9 or 10 regular size tomatoes. Thanks again for sharing the perfect salsa recipe. I'll be making lots more to give as Christmas gifts this year!

Unknown said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Tina said...

oops, I did not mean to delete the last comment. Sorry! I was getting rid of the spam that showed up and I'm sorry about that too! Hopefully, it will not come back. I've recovered my password and am determined to keep this post up for those that like to come back every year for their salsa making. Enjoy all!