Stewed Tomatoes

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1Wash 7 quart jars, bands, and new lids in hot soapy water and keep the jars hot until ready to fill.
2. 2Simmer the new lids in hot water per 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, cut out the cores, and cut the tomatoes into large chunks.
4. 4In a large pot, combine the chunked tomatoes with the celery, onion, and green pepper, keeping the combined vegetable additions at or below the amounts listed here, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
5. 5Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes, or until the celery, onion, and pepper are just tender but the tomato chunks still hold their shape.
6. 6Add the required acid directly to each hot, empty jar before filling: 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart jar (half that per pint), plus salt and sugar if desired.
7. 7Ladle the hot stewed tomatoes and their liquid into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace.
8. 8Remove air bubbles with a nonmetallic tool, wipe the rims clean, center the lids, and screw the bands on fingertip tight.
9. 9Process in a boiling-water canner, jars covered by 1 to 2 inches of water, timing from a full rolling boil: 45 minutes for pints and 55 minutes for quarts at 0-1,000 ft, since the added celery, onion, and pepper make this a denser, low-acid-vegetable-rich pack than plain whole tomatoes; add 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, wait 5 minutes, then move the jars with a jar lifter to a towel-lined counter and let cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.
11. 11Press each lid to confirm sealing, label with contents, acid added, and date, and refrigerate any jar that did not 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. 13Never increase the celery, onion, or pepper beyond the amounts specified, and never skip the bottled lemon juice or citric acid, since this combination of low-acid vegetables makes the extended processing time and full acid addition both essential.