With the abundance of tomatoes that I’m getting from my garden, I want to can some salsa. Do I need to use the pressure canning method or the boiling water bath method?

We recommend using the boiling water bath method for canning salsa. However, it’s important to remember that most salsa recipes mix low-acid foods, such as onions and peppers, with acid foods, such as tomatoes. Therefore, it’s important to use recipes that have been research-tested to ensure that they contain enough acid to be processed safely in a boiling water canner.

Here is some basic information about the ingredients to use when making salsa, followed by some tested recipes from the University of Wisconsin-Extension. Happy salsa making.

The ingredients are:

Tomatoes. Use only high-quality tomatoes for canning salsa or any other tomato product. Canning is no way to use overripe or damaged tomatoes, nor tomatoes from dead or frost-killed vines. Poor quality or overripe tomatoes will yield a very poor salsa that may spoil and be unsafe.

The type of tomato you use affects salsa quality. Paste or Italian tomatoes, such as Romas, Debaro, Italian Gold, Sheriff or Viva Italia, have firmer flesh and produce thicker salsas than large slicing tomatoes, such as Celebrity, Big Boy, Better Boy or Husky Gold (yellow). Although both types make good salsas, slicing tomatoes usually yield a thinner, more watery salsa than paste tomatoes. You can thicken these salsas by adding tomato paste or by draining off some of the liquid after you chop the tomatoes. Use the quantity of chopped tomatoes listed in the recipe.

Where recipes call for peeled tomatoes, remove the skin by dipping tomatoes in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Dip in cold water, then slip off skins and remove cores and seeds.

You may substitute green tomatoes or tomatillos for tomatoes in any of these recipes.

Peppers: Use only high quality peppers. Do not increase the total amount of peppers in any recipe, but you may substitute one type of pepper for another, or use canned chilies in place of fresh.

Peppers range from mild to fiery in taste. Mild peppers are usually big 4 inches to 10 inches long. Choose a mild pepper when the recipe calls for long green chilies, or substitute bell peppers for some or all. Very hot peppers are usually small 1 to 3 inches long except for Hungarian Yellow Wax. They provide a distinct taste to salsas. Hot peppers, such as jalape do not need to be peeled, but seeds are often removed. Finely chopped mild peppers do not usually need to be skinned.

Acids: Salsa is preserved by adding acid, either vinegar or bottled lemon or lime juice. You must add acid to canned salsas because the natural acidity may not be high enough to prevent growth of Clostridium botulinum and production of the potentially fatal C. botulinum toxin. Use vinegar that is at least 5 percent acetic acid, or use bottled lemon or lime juice. Do not use homemade vinegar, or substitute vinegar for lemon juice unless this substitution is given in the recipe. Lemon juice is more acidic than vinegar, so you may safely substitute an equal amount of bottled lemon or lime juice for vinegar in recipes using vinegar.

Spices: Spices and herbs add a characteristic flavor to salsas. You may decrease the amounts of spices and herbs in these recipes. But do not increase the amounts before canning. Increasing the amount of herbs and spices before canning may produce an unsafe salsa. For a stronger flavor, add fresh herbs and spices just before serving.

Safe canning

l Follow research-tested recipes carefully. Safe processing times are not available for quart jars.

If you use any other recipes or adapt one of these, freeze the salsa, or refrigerate it and use within several weeks.

If you want salsas with more body: Before canning add commercial tomato paste to thicken before canning. Do not thicken salsas with flour or cornstarch. After you open a jar, you may pour off some liquid, or thicken the salsa with cornstarch before serving.

Tomato Salsa Italian Paste Tomatoes

7 quarts paste tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
4 cups long green chilies, seeded and chopped (about 12 chilies)
5 cups onion, chopped (about 5 medium onions)
1/2 cup jalapeeppers, seeded and finely chopped (about 2 peppers)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups bottled lemon or lime juice
2 tablespoons salt
1/2 tablespoon red pepper
2 tablespoons ground cumin
3 tablespoons oregano leaves
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro

Combine all ingredients except cumin, oregano and cilantro in a large pot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Then reduce heat and boil gently 10 minutes. Add herbs and spices and simmer for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle hot salsa into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe jar rims and cap with properly pre-treated lids. Adjust lids. Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes. Yield: 13 pints.

Hot Pepper Salsa Hot Tomato Pepper Sauce

10 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped
5 cups chili peppers, seeded and chopped (about 15 chilies)
1 cup onion, chopped (about 1 medium)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cider vinegar (5 percent acetic acid)
1 tablespoon salt
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1 teaspoon cumin

Use a mixture of mild and hot peppers, 5 cups total. Combine ingredients in a large sauce pan. Heat to a boil, and boil gently 10 minutes. Ladle hot salsa into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space.

Wipe jar rims and cap with properly pre-treated lids. Adjust lids. Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes. Yield: 6 to 8 pints.

Tomato/Tomato Paste Salsa

3 quarts tomatoes, peeled and chopped
4 cups green peppers, chopped (about 2 large bell peppers)
12-ounce jar jalapeeppers (in vinegar, drained)
1 cup long green chilies, seeded and chopped (about 3 chilies)
3 cups onions, chopped (about 3 medium)
3 cups celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 12-ounce cans tomato paste
2 cups bottled lemon juice
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and continue boiling for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle hot salsa into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch head space. Wipe jar rims and cap with properly pretreated lids. Adjust lids. Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes. Yield: 16 pints

Susan Krumm is an Extension agent in family and consumer sciences with K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County, 2110 Harper St. She can be reached at 843-7058.