Canning Tomato Juice

What to do with all those yummy garden tomatoes? Why not make them last all year by canning lots of tomato juice. Enjoy the winter months with that great garden fresh taste in soups, stews and much more. There is nothing better to my family than enjoying a nice big pot of homemade chili on a cold day with a great  Pittsburgh Steelers football game (GO STEELERS!!) :) 

  

Boxes of fresh garden tomatoes in my kitchen.

If you are a beginner in canning, don't worry it's easier than most people think, and so very rewarding. With so many canning resources out there, anyone can do it!

They are so beautiful in the kitchen pantry.

Here is the recipe I like to use:

Tomato Juice

3 to 3 1/2 pounds tomatoes per quart

Bottled lemon juice

Wash tomatoes: drain. Remove core and blossom ends. Cut tomatoes into quarters and simmer until soft, stirring to prevent sticking. Juice tomatoes in a food processor or food mill. Strain juice to remove peels and seeds. Heat juice 5 minutes at 190F. Do not boil. Add 1 Tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to each pint jar, 2 Tablespoons of bottled lemon juice to each quart jar. Ladle hot juice into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust two piece caps. Process pints 35 minutes, quarts 40 minutes, in a boiling water canner.

For beginners, I would recommend purchasing the Ball Blue Book guide to preserving. This book is great, and has many recipes for canning.

If you have questions about canning tomato juice, please comment below. I will be happy to help!! :)