Canning Salsa?

[PunkRotten]

Hi,

Anyone can salsa before? I am thinking about doing it this year. But in the process of canning it you are essentially cooking it too right? Does this affect the taste or texture that much? I was thinking the texture would be different afterwards.


I also want to make my own recipes. I would use lime/lemon/vinegar as a preservative. Would that be enough to keep it preserved? I know Ball provides a salsa recipe and even sells spices to go with it. But like I say, I'd like to do my own recipes.

[mansgirl]

I grow my garden just so that I can make my own salsa. It has since expanded into more things, but its primary purpose is salsa.

Its a Cold Pak recipe, which some people don't like anymore, BUT..
Here's the recipe I "follow" ~

8 c. tomatoes peeled and chopped
3 lg sweet onion, chopped
4 jalapenos, chopped
12 oz. tomato paste
1 c. cider vinegar
1 t. salt
1 t. minced vinegar (jarred variety works great)
1 t. black pepper
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/4 - 1/2 c. sugar (to taste)

Combine ingredients in a large pot on mid-high heat. Stir constantly and bring to slight boil. Reduce heat and simmer 45 mins. to 1 hr. While still at near boil pour into sterile jars and seal.
~~~
This recipe can be played around with ALOT. I add bell peppers, lots more jalapenos, and a bit of hot peppers to it. Because I add so many veggies that don't really up the acid content though, I do add a bit more vinegar. I've never really measured, but I'd guess about a cup and a half instead of one cup. You don't want your acid content to get to low or you may risk spoilage, bad seals, and what not. This recipe is also easily doubled or tripled. And don't skip the beef bouillon or the sugar, I know it sounds weird, but its soo tasty!

Hope you like!

[mansgirl]

Bah. That should be..

1 tsp. minced garlic instead of 1 tsp. minced vinegar.

Doh!

[PunkRotten]

Here is a rough recipe I make.

8 tomatoes
half small onion
1 whole jalapeno or other pepper
Handful of Cilantro
lemon and lime juice
Salt


But I want to experiment with using watermelon and peach etc. Or maybe even corn. WHat I am worried about is if it would preserve right. Would the lemon and lime and tomatoes have enough acid to preserve it correctly? I was reading something on Ball's website and they made it sound like when making salsa if you make a little mistake like don;t add enough acid you are gonna have spoiled food. How does cooked salsa taste? I am wondering if the taste or texture is affected a lot.

[PunkRotten]

Yeah same here my garden is geared for salsa production. I grow the tomatoes, peppers, cilantro. Only thing I am missing that I don't grow is lemons/limes and onions. But I am growing different kinds of tomatoes and 2-3 different hot peppers for salsa this year. So I am gonna experiment a little.

[GardenGnome]

1 tsp. minced vinegar.

Lol I was going to say.....

[cynthia_h]

Do *not* experiment with canning. Not, at least, with untested recipes. The USDA and Ball Company have good recipes, tested for sufficient acidity. Hot-water-bath canning is recommended for acid foods; pressure canning is recommended for non-acid foods.

If you don't know whether a food is sufficiently acid, pressure-can it. This is no joke: botulism can grow in the anaerobic conditions provided by canned foods, esp. with the lack of sufficient acid.

If you want a "fresh" salsa taste, make it fresh each time, or investigate methods of freezing the ingredients.

But do not take your chances with food poisoning. Botulism can be fatal. Not always, but it has been known to occur.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[Avonnow]

I have made a bunch of Salsa the last few years and have changed it up a bit each time. I use lime when I do salsa, just seems to taste better and also add vinegar. I have made peach salsa, I have also used green tomatoes. It has always been good. I do pressue cook it though. I can also say I DO NOT take the skins off. I read soooo much about this online, oh the talk. Some say take them off, others no - so I made two batches one each way. I served them at a get together and nobody made a comment except the salsa was great. I saw no difference except the labor involved In taking off the skins. You can really change it up to, hot, semi-spicy or sweet, - I love using cilantro , that is always a must. Good luck! Oh yeah I used a garden Salsa variety tomato each time ( that I grew) the other tomatoes get alittle juicy. The Salsa variety had a nice texture for Salsa, I guess hence the name.

[lily51]

I have made and canned all sorts of tomato products through the years.
Last year a friend and I made salsa and canned it . It
Is delicious, useful for cooking as well as dipping.
I always put the hot tomato product in canning jars, heat in boiling water bath for the prescribed time, remove and wait for the " ping" sound .
Of course with other products like corn or green beans, you must use a pressure cooker to prevent botulism. I think those taste better frozen anyway.
I'll add my recipe when I get home from vacation.

[PunkRotten]

Do you have time now for your recipe(s)? If you have other recipes beside salsa I'd like to see those too. Thx

[cynthia_h]

The recipe database link I provided in your [url=https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=47303]pickle thread[/url] should contain salsa recipes as well.

Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9

[jal_ut]

The problem with canning salsas of your own recipe, there is no way we can check the acidity. It has to be at a certain level or canned products can develop botulism toxins. This is why, if you want to can salsa, please use a tested and approved recipe, and don't fudge on the ingredients in any way that will change the acidity of the product.

We came upon a recipe we liked for picante sauce, but was not sure about the acid content and whether it could be processed and keep safely, so we took a sample to the University and they tested it for us and gave us the green light to bottle it with the water bath method. (As long as we used the same amounts of each ingredient so the acidity would be right.) I would never bottle anything that I didn't know the acid content of. Pretty risky.

When garden produce is abundant, we make salsas and just keep them in the fridg until they are used up.

[jal_ut]

Mexican Picante Sauce

This will make approximately 18 pints of Salsa

6 cups onions, chopped no larger than ½ inch
6 cups bell peppers, chopped no larger than ½ inch
9 quarts peeled, chopped tomatoes
1 or 2 bottles (10 - 12 ounce) Nacho Sliced Jalapeno pepper, use juice and all,
may chop smaller if you wish
4 to 6 fresh Jalapeno peppers, chopped (wear gloves)
4 ½ cups cider vinegar
½ cup sugar
½ cup salt


4 teaspoons powdered cumin
4 teaspoons dried oregano (rub to release flavors)
1 teaspoon crushed dried hot red pepper

Wash the tomatoes and drop into boiling water until the skins crack, drop into cold
water, slip skins, remove core and chop. Put into large pot and start to simmer while
chopping the other ingredients. Put all except the herbs into the pot, stir frequently to
keep from scorching! You may cook this down until it's a consistency you like, but not
less than 10 minutes after it's boiling gently.

We usually simmer it at least an hour and then add the herbs about 15 minutes before it's
time to put into pint or half pint jars for processing. Leave ½ inch head space in the jars,
clean top of jars, put on lids and rings, put into Boiling Water Bath Canner with the water
already hot. The water must cover the top of the jars about an inch. When all the jars are
in the cooker and the water has returned to a boil, time for 25 minutes. When done, cool
jars out of a draft, on a wire rack or board with a few inches between each jar. After 24
hours remove the rings and wipe the jars before storage.

Note: The acidity has been verified, and the processing time is for 5000 ft. elevation.


Note: If you wish to use all fresh jalapeno peppers, two cups of chopped jalapenos is about right for a medium hot product.

[PunkRotten]

That sounds pretty good I will try this one.