This summer is like every summer; I’ve got my usual plethora of tomatoes and I love to make chunky canned salsa with some of them. We’ve been blessed with a continued spell of warm weather here in Northern Illinois, but this trend is bound to take a turn soon. My tomato plants are still producing (as are my peppers, eggplants and beans), but the cool nights are definitely stunting their growth. So it goes as the summer garden winds down.

I prefer my salsa chunky and to do this, you need to simmer your tomatoes first to get the bulk of the water out of them. If you’ve been wondering how to make your salsa thicker, this is the key. This salsa is always a huge hit at the holidays and while watching Sunday football. Not only is it chunky, it’s packed full of flavor. This, my friends, is a beautiful jar of salsa:

Note: Start by blanching and skinning your tomatoes; this is an important step in making your salsa chunky.

• Core out the stem area of the tomato and discard (compost is preferred)
• Plunge the tomatoes into a large pan of boiling water (you only need a few inches of water in the pan)
• Cover the pan and boil for a few minutes, until the skins start to crack and peel back
• When the skins start to split, scoop the tomatoes out with a slotted spoon and plunge them into a large bowl of ice water
• Once the tomatoes have cooled enough to handle, peel the skins off and place the skinned tomatoes back into a large pan, crushing them a bit with your hand first. (discard skins – I like to compost mine but if you don’t compost at home you can also just toss them right into your garden)
• Finally, simmer the tomatoes, uncovered, for about an hour. This is key to reducing the liquid in them, so your salsa isn’t watery and runny. The length of cooking time will depend on what type of tomatoes you’re using.

Notes:

• I prefer to make my tomatoes ahead of time which makes the salsa-making process itself much quicker.  I blanch, skin, and crush mine into a food storage container and refrigerate for a day or two until I’m ready to use them.
• Ripe tomatoes will peel better than less-than-ripe ones so use the ripest tomatoes you can. There’s nothing wrong with using less-than-ripe ones if you have to but be warned.
• Blanched tomatoes are much easier to peel when they’re cooled. You can skip the water bath and just scoop the blanched tomatoes into a colander until they’re cool enough to handle. This saves on washing another bowl, which I’m all for.
• You can use one type of tomato or a mix of tomatoes. I find that Roma-style tomatoes make the best salsa because they’re the meatiest but I often use regular slicer tomatoes, as well as exotic heirlooms – don’t be afraid to mix them up!

Now that the tomatoes are ready, let’s make some salsa.

First, make sure you’ve got your jars, lids, and bands sterilized first so everything is ready to go. If you’re new to canning, this means you need to boil your jars for a minimum of 10 minutes in your canner. I’ve seen ways to do this in your oven but I myself stick to the tried, true, and safe method. Sterilize your lids and rings in a separate pan for 10 minutes. Yes, I’ve also read that now you don’t have to do this but I stick to my old-school ways! 🙂

Chunky Tomato Salsa Canning Recipe

Makes 6 pints

• 10 cups peeled and cooked tomatoes, prepared as noted above
• 3 teaspoons kosher salt
• 4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 6 cups yellow, red and/or green bell peppers, largely diced
• 4 cups Vidalia onion, largely diced
• 1-2 jalapenos, chopped (adjust to your liking)
• 1 scotch bonnet pepper, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

• Place all of the ingredients in a large pan and slowly bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Reduce to a simmer and let cook for about 5 minutes.
• Using a ladle and canning funnel, carefully fill hot, sterilized jars with the hot salsa to 1/4 inch from the rim.
• Wipe rims and seal with sterilized lids and bands.
• Carefully place in water bath canner and make sure the jars are fully covered with water.
• Bring water with jars to a boil.
• Process in a hot water bath for 15 minutes.
• Using a canning jar lifter or tongs, carefully remove from the canner and let sit undisturbed until all of the lids have sealed.
• Cool completely for 24 hours and then store in a cool place.
• Salsa is best if left for 4 weeks before using, to let the flavors really come together.

I added a scotch bonnet pepper to this because I grew them this year, we’re crazy about heat and maybe just a little crazy. Of course, you could use a habanero, instead, or omit the really hot pepper altogether.

Always be sure you’re following safe canning practices when home canning your recipes. Sterilize all of your jars, lids, and bands immediately before canning and be very careful with the hot jars and boiling water.

Home canning is easy if you have the correct equipment. I love canning pint jars instead of quart jars because the smaller canner is much faster to come to a boil. I hope you try this and enjoy it as much as we do.

Eat well and enjoy!