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Grumpy’s Easy Homemade Canning Salsa

A chunky, bright homemade salsa made with fresh tomatoes and processed for shelf-stable pantry storage.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Appetizer, Condiment
Cuisine: American, Tex-Mex
Calories: 38
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Salsa
  • 12 cups fresh tomatoes peeled, cored, and chopped
  • 2 cups onion diced
  • 1 cup green bell pepper chopped
  • 1 cup jalapeno peppers chopped
  • 6 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup bottled lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons canning salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/2 cup cilantro chopped, optional
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste optional, for a thicker salsa
For Canning
  • 6 half-pint canning jars with lids and bands
  • water for the boiling-water canner

Equipment

  • 1 large stockpot for blanching tomatoes
  • 1 large nonreactive pot for cooking the salsa
  • 1 boiling-water canner for processing jars
  • 1 jar lifter for moving hot jars safely
  • 1 canning funnel for filling jars neatly
  • 1 bubble remover or thin spatula for releasing trapped air
  • 6 half-pint canning jars with lids and bands

Method
 

Prepare the Equipment
  1. Prepare the jars, lids, and boiling-water canner according to the manufacturer’s directions. Keep the jars hot until ready to fill.
Make the Salsa
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Working in batches, dip the tomatoes into the boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds, then transfer to cold water. Slip off the skins, remove the cores, and chop the tomatoes.
  2. Place the chopped tomatoes, onion, green bell pepper, jalapeno peppers, garlic, bottled lemon juice, canning salt, cumin, and black pepper in a large nonreactive pot. Stir in the cilantro and tomato paste if using.
  3. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened but still chunky.
Fill and Process the Jars
  1. Ladle the hot salsa into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe the rims, apply the lids, and screw on the bands until fingertip tight.
  2. Process the jars in a boiling-water canner for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude if needed according to a trusted canning guide.
  3. Remove the jars and let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Check the seals before storing. Refrigerate any unsealed jars and use first.

Notes

Use bottled lemon juice for consistent acidity. Roma tomatoes work especially well for a thicker salsa. Do not reduce the acid or change the total amount of peppers if canning for shelf storage. Adjust processing time for altitude using a trusted current canning resource.