Canning Tomato Paste
Preserve the rich flavors of ripe tomatoes by making and canning your own tomato paste, a versatile ingredient for various recipes.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 14 lbs. Tomatoes (Roma or Paste Type) Choose ripe tomatoes for best flavor.
- 1 tsp. citric acid Mandatory for safety.
- 2 large bay leaves
- 1 tsp. canning salt Add up to 1 teaspoon.
- 1 clove garlic Optional ingredient.
Instructions
Preparation
- Wash the tomatoes, remove the stems, and trim any bruised or discolored parts.
- Quarter the tomatoes, placing pieces in a large saucepan.
- Bring the tomatoes to a boil, crushing them with a potato masher or large spoon.
- Continue adding quartered tomatoes, cutting them up as you go.
- Mash the mixture over high heat until all tomatoes are added.
Cooking
- Let the mixture simmer for 1 hour, stirring as needed to avoid burning.
- Transfer the crushed tomatoes to a food mill or sieve to remove skins and seeds.
- Return the smooth tomatoes to the saucepan and add citric acid, stirring well.
- Add canning salt, bay leaves, and garlic.
- Cook over medium heat for 2.5 hours, stirring frequently until reduced by half.
Canning
- Prepare a boiling water canner and sterilize jars and lids.
- Fill hot jars with paste, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
- Seal jars with lids and process in a water bath for 45 minutes.
- Turn off heat, let jars sit for 5 minutes before transferring to a towel.
- Let jars cool lid-side up for 12 to 24 hours.
- Check that lids are sealed, refrigerate any unsealed jars.
- Label jars with date and contents.
Notes
Store canned tomato paste in a cool, dark place. Opened jars should be refrigerated and used within a week. Freeze portions for longer storage.