Tomatoes Tart & Tasty
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B2605 University of Wisconsin-Extension Cooperative Extension Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series Tomatoes Tart & Tasty Barbara H. Ingham Recipes Tomato-based vegetable soup 12 Tomatoes— Crushed, quartered, hot pack (no added liquid) 13 Whole or halves, in water pack 14 Whole or halves, in juice pack 15 Whole or halves (raw pack without added liquid) 16 Tomato juice 17 Tomato-vegetable juice blend 18 Tomato sauce or puree — No other vegetables added 19 Stewed tomatoes 20 Tomatoes with okra or zucchini, hot pack 21 Meatless spaghetti sauce 22 Spaghetti sauce with meat 23 Blender tomato catsup 24 Tomato catsup 25 Country western catsup 26 Barbecue sauce 27 Hot pepper salsa — Hot tomato-pepper sauce 28 Piccalilli 29 Pickled sweet green tomatoes 30 Pickled green tomato relish 30 Green tomato pie filling 31 University of Wisconsin-Extension Cooperative Extension hen those big, varieties are vining or sprawling. Wplump tomatoes Better Boy is one indeterminate in your garden tomato variety popular in Wisconsin. turn from blushing pink Try a few plants of other varieties to to red, it’s time to think see how well they perform. about preserving their Tomato cultivars recommended for goodness for year- Wisconsin include: round use.Tomatoes Early: Daybreak, Early Girl,* First Lady, can please the palate and the eye at Miracle Sweet, Sunstart,Wayahead any meal of the day, provide vitamins C and A, and are low in calories. Main crop: Better Boy*, Big Beef*, Big Boy*, Black Krim (heirloom)*, Black Tomatoes are without a doubt the Prince (heirloom)*, Brandywine most widely home-canned product (heirloom)*, Celebrity, Cherokee in the United States. But to avoid Purple (heirloom)*, Long-Keeper*, spoilage and risk of food poisoning, Mortgage Lifter (heirloom)*, follow these research-tested recipes. Mountain Pride, Mountain Spring, Orange Blossom, Oregon Spring, Tomatoes for canning Steak Sandwich*, Striped Many tomato cultivars (cultivated German*,Yellow Brandywine varieties) can be successfully grown (heirloom)*, Ultrasweet in Wisconsin home gardens. Paste or salsa: Amish Paste, Red For canning, you will find it more con- Agate, Roma VF,Viva Italia venient to select a disease-resistant Small fruited: Gardener’s Delight*, cultivar that has a determinate Husky Gold*, Juliet, Red Grape*, growing habit — producing fruit at Small Fry*, Sugar Snax*, Sun the end of branches and ripening Cherry*, Super Sweet 100*, Sweet early, because the fruit receives Cluster*, Sweet Million*,Tiny Tim, plenty of heat and sun. Such Yellow Pear (heirloom)* tomatoes tend to grow more com- pactly and produce greater quantities of ripe fruit in a short period of time. In some cases, indeterminate tomato varieties are preferred because they yield fruit over a long period of time. Indeterminate tomato * Indeterminate variety—yields fruit over a long period of time. TOMATOESTART&TASTY 1 For a complete list of Tomato acidity recommended veg- Tomatoes require a certain level of acid for safe home canning — pH of etable varieties, request 4.6 or less. U.S. Department of the publication Vegetable Cultivars and Agriculture (USDA) research has Planting Guide for Wisconsin Gardens found that the fruits of different (A1653).This is available from your tomato cultivars vary somewhat in county UW-Extension office or acidity. However, most varieties Cooperative Extension Publications grown for home canning produce acidic fruits with a pH of 4.6 or below. (learningstore.uwex.edu). Even small-fruited cultivars and Researchers have identified several white, yellow and pink tomatoes are conditions and factors that affect the in the same acidity range as most acidity of tomatoes and home-canned standard red tomatoes.The differ- tomato products.These include: ence in taste of these tomatoes — cultivar, growing conditions and soil falsely called ‘‘low acid’’ in some seed type, ripeness and condition of the catalogs — is due to their higher sugar content that masks tartness. fruit, and canning process. Do not can Researchers have also found that the overripe or damaged tomatoes, or acidity level of a tomato variety tomatoes harvested from dead or grown in different soils or in different frost-killed vines. years may vary considerably. In Illinois, 15 of 105 tomato varieties tested in 1986 had pH values of 4.6 or above. Paste tomatoes consistently are lower in acid — higher in pH — than standard tomatoes. Because of the potential variation in acidity, treat all tomatoes the same — whether they be yellow, red or pink. 2 Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series Overripe, damaged or See these Wisconsin decayed tomatoes Safe Food Preservation When tomatoes become overripe Series publications, and soft, they can become dramati- available from your county cally lower in acid (higher in pH). Damaged areas on tomatoes caused UW-Extension office or Cooperative by bruises, cracks, blossom end rot or Extension Publications insects are also lower in acid. (learningstore.uwex.edu). Tomatoes exposed to frost or Canning Salsa Safely (B3570) tomatoes harvested from dead vines may be lower in acid. Freezing Fruits and Vegetables (B3278) Tomatoes growing on dead vines or those ripening indoors may not Acidify tomato products develop the proper acidity for safe home canning. Instead, harvest green canned at home tomatoes from late season or frost- In addition to the raw tomato fruit, damaged vines, and use these green several other factors can influence tomatoes in a relish or salsa. the safety and acidity of canned tomato products: Do not use for canned tomatoes or juice: I Tomato juices are less acidic than tomato solids. I any overripe or damaged tomatoes, or I One or more overripe tomatoes in a jar will decrease the overall I tomatoes harvested from dead or acidity. frost-killed vines. I Adding low-acid ingredients — Tomatoes not suitable for canning such as carrots, celery, corn, green may be trimmed and eaten fresh, or hot peppers, mushrooms, or frozen. onions, or similar low-acid vegeta- bles — significantly decreases acidity. I The canning process itself can decrease acidity. TOMATOESTART&TASTY 3 Since so many factors affect the Add citric acid or lemon acidity of canned tomatoes and juice to home-canned juices — and because it is impractical tomato products if not impossible for the home before processing to ensure a safe canner to measure the pH of each product. Add 1⁄4 teaspoon citric acid or container canned — USDA recom- 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice per mends that acid be added to home-canned tomato products. pint; add 1⁄2 teaspoon citric acid or 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice per Citric acid is effective at increasing the acidity of tomatoes and tomato quart. Do not substitute vinegar for products without changing the lemon juice, an unsafe product may flavor. Citric acid is widely available in result. drugstores and where canning supplies are sold. Use 1⁄2 teaspoon citric acid per quart or 1⁄4 teaspoon per pint. You can also use bottled lemon juice to acidify canned tomatoes. Add 1 tablespoon per pint or 2 tablespoons per quart. Measure this amount into canning jars before sealing.You can add a small amount of sugar — 1 teaspoon per quart — to offset the acid taste, if you desire. Small amounts of vinegar are not as effective as lemon juice in increasing acidity. Enough vinegar to increase the acidity of canned tomatoes changes the flavor. For this reason, vinegar is not recommended as an acidifier in plain canned tomatoes or juice. However, vinegar (5% acetic acid) is fine in catsup, chili sauce and salsa. 4 Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series Careful processing Process times in this prevents spoilage publication are This bulletin contains recipes for designed to ensure safe both pressure canning and boiling processing for tomatoes and tomato water canning of tomato products: products anywhere in Wisconsin. I Pressure canning uses water Recommendations are given for both heated under pressure (steam) to pressure canning and boiling water cook foods at a high temperature canning. to ensure safety. A pressure canner is not the same as a I Boiling water canning can safely pressure cooker. Pressure cookers are process foods high in acid (pH of used to rapidly cook meats, vegetables 4.6 or less) at lower temperatures. and other foods for a family meal.They Check the canner may not maintain adequate pressure and pressure gauge for home canning. A pressure cooker also heats and cools too quickly, so Before you start canning, be sure the canner is in good operating condi- may not heat foods long enough to tion. Have a dial pressure gauge ensure a safe product. tested each canning season to be Vent all pressure canners for sure it measures pressure accurately. 10 minutes before beginning pressure Contact your county UW-Extension office for dial gauge testing. For a list processing. Failure to vent canners can of county office locations see: result in under-processing. For www.uwex.edu/cty/. complete instructions on use and care Canners with weighted pressure reg- of your pressure canner, request Using ulators do not require testing. But the and Caring for a Pressure Canner regulators and vent pipes must be (B2593) available from your county kept clean, and gaskets need to be in UW-Extension office or Cooperative good condition. Replace any rubber Extension Publications gaskets that are old or leaking. (learningstore.uwex.edu). TOMATOESTART&TASTY 5 Processing in a pressure canner Pressure canners may have dial gauges or weighted gauges. Pressure is measured in pounds per square inch (psi).When pressure is applied, water boils at a high temperature. Food can be processed in a pressure canner quickly and safely at these high temperatures. For home canning, use pressure canners that can maintain pressures up to 15 psi. Be sure your canner is in good condi- tion. Check your dial gauge canner for accuracy every canning season.