Tomato Salsa

TJ Musgrove's Note:

Adapted (I halved the ingredients) from a New Mexico State University website. This is absolutely the best "canned" salsa recipe I have tried. The reason? No tomato paste to give the salsa a sweet taste. To find the original recipe, go to: http://cahe.nmsu.edu.pubs/_e/e-ewe.html.

• Total Time: 4 hrs 1 mins
• Prep Time: 4 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 50

• 3 quarts peeled cored chopped tomatoes
• 2 cups seeded chopped long green chilies
• 2 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 1/4 cup finely chopped seeded jalapeno
• 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
• 1 cup bottled lemon juice
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon canning salt
• 1/2 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients except cumin and cilantro in a large pot and bring to a boil, stirring frequently, then reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add spices and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Ladle into hot pint jars (yield 7+ pints), leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner: 15 minutes at 0-1,000 ft altitude; 20 minutes at 1001-6000 ft, 25 minutes above 6,000 ft.
3. NOW FOR THE ALTERATIONS I MAKE: IF YOU LIKE YOUR SALSA REALLY HOT, CONSIDER USING ONE HABANERO PER JAR (that would be 7). This is my husband's solution when something is not hot enough!
4. This recipe works best with paste tomatoes. Slicing tomatoes require a much longer cooking time to achieve a desirable consistency. However, you can mix paste tomatoes (Romas) with slicing tomatoes.
5. The recipe does call for oregano (1-1/2 T), but I prefer not to use it.
6. Canning is so rewarding -- .