Canned Tomato Puree

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1Wash 7 pint jars, bands, and new lids in hot soapy water and keep the jars hot until you are ready to fill them.
2. 2Simmer the new lids in hot water according to the manufacturer's instructions.
3. 3Wash the tomatoes, score an X on the bottom, blanch 30 to 60 seconds in boiling water, cool in ice water, slip off the skins, and cut out the cores; cut the tomatoes into chunks.
4. 4Simmer the chunked tomatoes in a large pot for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fully softened.
5. 5Pass the softened tomatoes through a food mill or fine sieve to remove skins and seeds, producing a smooth, thick pulp, then return the puree to the pot and bring it back to a gentle boil for 5 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching (puree is thicker than juice but not cooked down as far as sauce).
6. 6Add the required acid to each hot, empty jar before filling: 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid per pint jar (double for quarts), plus salt if using.
7. 7Ladle the hot puree into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.
8. 8Remove air bubbles with a nonmetallic spatula, wipe the rims clean, center the lids, and apply bands fingertip tight.
9. 9Process in a boiling-water canner, jars covered by 1 to 2 inches of water, timing from a full rolling boil: 35 minutes for pints and 40 minutes for quarts at 0-1,000 ft, adding 5 minutes at 1,001-3,000 ft, 10 minutes at 3,001-6,000 ft, 15 minutes at 6,001-8,000 ft, or 20 minutes above 8,000 ft.
10. 10Turn off the heat, let jars sit 5 minutes, then move them with a jar lifter to a towel-lined counter to cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
11. 11Press each lid to confirm the seal, label with contents, acid added, and date, and refrigerate any jar that failed to seal.
12. 12Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place up to about 1 year; refrigerate after opening and use within about a week.
13. 13The bottled lemon juice or citric acid must be added exactly as specified for every jar; it is a required safety step, not a flavoring choice.