Basil Tomatoes

Submitted by Diana Adcock

"A great way to preserve tomatoes for later use. I use the lemon juice rather than the salt. Great for salsas and tomato sauce."

 

• Ready In: 3hrs 35mins
• Ingredients: 3
• Yields: 8-10 pints

ingredients

• 10 lbs tomatoes
• 6 -10 teaspoons fresh basil, chopped
• bottled lemon juice

directions

1. Wash tomatoes and dip in boiling water for 45 seconds.
2. Plunge in cold water, peel, core and quarter.
3. Put 4 cups wedges in a pan and crush.
4. Quickly heat to boiling.
5. Add the rest of the tomatoes and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 hours, stirring frequently.
7. Remove from heat and add basil.
8. Stir well.
9. Put 1 T lemon juice in each sterilized pint jar or 2 T lemon juice in each sterilized quart jar.
10. Ladle tomatoes into jars leaving 1/2 inch head space.
11. Remove bubbles, seal, and process 35 minutes for pints, 45 minutes for quarts.
12. If freezing product leave 1 1/2 inch head space, seal and freeze.

Reviews

[Sally]

Not planning on doing as much canning this year as last (many reasons!) but you bet I will be doing this one. Made about 16 jars last year, when they were gone they WERE missed. I did pretty much just big chunks or whole tomatoes. Otherwise followed the recipe exactly using fresh basil. They were fabulous in so many recipe's. They tasted so darn fresh when you wanted that taste the most - in the dead of winter. Thank you, even if I am off now to make the mess in the kitchen! Easy, no disappointing, versatile recipe. What's not to like?

 

[johnhopkins1]

Terrific. My first shot at this business, and a big mess, but there are seven jars of real good-looking tomato sauce on the shelf. More ripening out on the vines. Thanks , John Hopkinson Elmsdale, NS Canada P.S., forgot some of the lemon juice, but hey, this is a learning experience, right?