Easy Canning Tomatoes for Beginners Step-by-Step Water Bath Guide
A simple and approachable water bath canning method for preserving fresh tomatoes, perfect for beginners and yielding delicious, shelf-stable jars.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours 10 minutes (including cooling time)
- Yield: Approximately 7 to 9 quart jars or 14 to 18 pint jars 1x
- Category: Preserving, Pantry Staple
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 10 pounds ripe, firm tomatoes (preferably plum or Roma)
- 2 tablespoons fresh or bottled lemon juice per quart jar
- 1 tablespoon fresh or bottled lemon juice per pint jar
- 1 teaspoon canning or pickling salt per quart jar
- ½ teaspoon canning or pickling salt per pint jar
- Water for blanching and water bath
- Optional: ¼ teaspoon citric acid per quart jar or ⅛ teaspoon per pint jar
- Optional: New jar lids and reusable metal bands
Instructions
- Wash jars, lids, and bands in hot, soapy water. Rinse well. Heat jars in simmering water to keep them hot until ready to fill. Place lids in simmering water to soften sealing compound. (10 minutes)
- Rinse tomatoes under cold water. Use a sharp paring knife to score a small ‘X’ at the bottom of each tomato. (10 minutes)
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch tomatoes in batches for 30-60 seconds until skins loosen at scored edges. Transfer immediately to ice water bath. (15 minutes)
- Peel skins off tomatoes starting at the scored ‘X’. (15 minutes)
- Optional: Core and halve larger tomatoes to fit jars better. (10 minutes)
- Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon citric acid and 1 teaspoon salt to each quart jar; or 1 tablespoon lemon juice or ⅛ teaspoon citric acid and ½ teaspoon salt per pint jar. (5 minutes)
- Pack peeled tomatoes gently but firmly into jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. (15 minutes)
- Pour boiling water or fresh tomato juice over tomatoes, maintaining ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles with a non-metallic spatula. Wipe jar rims clean. (10 minutes)
- Place heated lids on jars and screw bands on finger tight. (5 minutes)
- Process jars in boiling water bath with water covering jars by at least 1 inch. Boil for 40 minutes for quarts and 35 minutes for pints at sea level. Adjust for altitude if needed. (40 minutes)
- Remove jars with jar lifter and place on towel to cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Check lids for proper seal. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place.
Notes
Do not skip adding lemon juice or citric acid to ensure safe acidity. Keep jars hot before filling to prevent cracking. Maintain ½ inch headspace to ensure proper sealing. Use a timer to avoid under- or over-processing. Test seals after cooling; refrigerate and use unsealed jars within a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (240 ml) canne
- Calories: 40
- Sugar: 6
- Sodium: 400
- Fat: 0.5
- Carbohydrates: 9
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2
Keywords: canning tomatoes, water bath canning, preserving tomatoes, beginner canning, homemade canned tomatoes, tomato preservation, pantry staples