Homemade Canned Tomatoes

Sterilize your canning jars, lids, and rings. You can do this in a dishwasher or by boiling them.

Core the tomatoes using a paring knife or corer, reserving the cores.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch the tomatoes until their skins begin to blister and split.

Remove the blanched tomatoes from the boiling water and set them aside to cool slightly.

Once the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel off the skins.

Pass the peeled tomatoes and the reserved cores through a food mill to create a puree.

In a large bowl, season the tomato puree with a small amount of kosher salt and stir to combine.

Optionally, place a few fresh basil leaves in the bottom of some of your sterilized jars.

Fill the jars with the tomato puree, leaving about 1 inch of headspace from the top (to the collar of the jar).

Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to ensure a good seal.

Place the flat lids on the jars and screw on the rings until they are fingertip-tight.

Place the sealed jars on a canning rack inside a large stockpot.

Fill the pot with water, making sure the water level is at least 1-2 inches above the tops of the jars.

Cover the pot and bring the water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high to maintain a steady boil.

Process the jars in the boiling water bath for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, turn off the heat. Carefully remove the hot jars from the pot using a jar lifter and place them on a towel-lined countertop.

Let the jars cool completely, undisturbed, for 12-24 hours. You may hear popping sounds as the jars seal.

The next day, check the seals. The lids should be concave and not move when pressed. Remove the rings before storing.