Canning Salsa - Homemade Recipes

Tangy salsa is great for spicing up a boring meal, and can be used in as many ways as you can think of! While store bought salsa is pretty good, nothing beats old-fashioned homemade salsa. However, making salsa every time you need some can be a bit of a pain, which is why most opt for store bought salsa. Faced with this predicament, the best option is making and canning salsa at home! Not only is this a great money saver, you will have a steady supply of your very own healthy homemade salsa to use with tacos, burritos or even meatloaf.

Canning salsa without a canner is possible; you just need to place the jars in a boiling water bath. Use a pot that is big enough to hold the jars, with an inch or two over the top and still be able to boil. To ensure the safety of your home canned food, the National Center for Home Food Preservation instructs you in the principles of home canning, and provides many other important guidelines for canning. Homemade recipes call for use of only unblemished fruit and the boiling of all containers and jars.

A Few Canning Salsa Homemade Recipes

Traditional Canning Salsa Recipe
Ingredients

• 5 lbs. ripe tomatoes
• 1 cup vinegar (white or cider)
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped green pepper
• 1 tbsp. salt
• ¼ cup chopped hot peppers

Directions

Follow the manufacturer's directions to prepare the home canning jars and lids. This step is crucial to canning salsa safely, and thus must be done carefully. Start by peeling, coring and cutting the tomatoes into chunks. Add them to the food processor and whirl. Place a large pot over the heat and transfer all the ingredients into it. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to ladle the salsa into hot jars, and leave ¼'' of space on the top. Use a clean paper towel to wipe the rim of the jar clean. Cover the jar with the lid and band, and process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Here are some more salsa recipes.

Hot Pepper Salsa
Ingredients

• 5 lbs tomatoes
• 1 cup vinegar (5 percent)
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 lbs chili peppers
• 3 tsp salt
• 1 lb onions

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400º F. Wash the chilies and pat them dry. Make a small slit on the side of each pepper and place them in the oven until cracks appear on the skin. Once the chilies turn black on top, turn them over. Transfer them to a pan and cover with a lid. Once they are cool to touch (about 10 minutes), peel them, discard the seeds and finely chop peppers. Wash and boil tomatoes for 30 to 60 seconds or until the skin splits. Take them out of the hot water, slip off the skins and de-seed. Chop the tomatoes and stir the chopped peppers, onions, and remaining ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then simmer for 10 minutes. Pour it into the pint jars, leaving ½'' of space. Cover the jar with the lid and band, and process in boiling water bath for 15 minutes.

Belizean Hot Salsa
Ingredients

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 cups water
• 3 Habanero chilies (3 or 4) minced

Directions

Heat oil in a skillet and saute the chopped onions in it, until they turn translucent. Pour in the water, and add the carrots. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until the carrots are soft. Take the pan off the heat and add the chilies, lime juice and salt to it. Pour the mixture into the processor and blend until smooth. Pour into sterilized jars and seal.

Most of these homemade recipes ask you to use paste tomatoes, such as Roma tomatoes, as they have a firmer flesh and result in a thicker salsa. Remember to go through the principles of home canning before you start the process.