Tomato Salsa - Uncle Bill's Version

William (Uncle Bill) Anatooskin's Note:

A delightful Tomato Salsa recipe that can be adjusted to be spicier if desired. I have been making this for over 30 years.

• Total Time: 45 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 4 pint jars

• 3 lbs roma tomatoes (other type of tomatoes would be okay as well)
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 medium jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped small
• 1 large red onion, finely chopped
• 1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped into small chunks
• 1 large sweet red pepper, seeded and chopped into small chunks
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon limes or 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3 tablespoons liquid honey

Directions:

1. In a large pot bring water to a rolling boil.
2. Drop in tomatoes and scald for 2 minutes.
3. Drain and immediately cover with cold water and some ice cubes and let sit for a few minutes.
4. Remove skins and discard.
5. Remove stem core and discard.
6. Cut tomatoes into small chunks.
7. Using a large cooking pot, add chopped tomatoes, Jalapeno peppers, red onion, green pepper, sweet red pepper, cilantro, basil, parsley, wine vinegar, lemon juice, ground cumin and liquid honey.
8. Bring mixture to a boil.
9. On medium-high heat, cook for about 5 minutes stirring frequently.
10. Adjust spices and Jalapeno peppers to taste.
11. Prepare 4- pint size canning jars by washing in soap and water, then rinsing in hot water.
12. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
13. Place washed jars upside down on oven rack and heat for 15 minutes.
14. Prepare snap lids by boiling them in water for about 5 minutes.
15. Fill jars with salsa mixture to within 1/4 inch of top of jars (for head space.) Remove any air bubbles by sliding a rubber spatula between glass and salsa; re-adjust head space to 1/4 inch.
16. Wipe jar rims very clean to remove any stickiness.
17. Place snap lids, then screw bands just until finger tight.
18. Prepare a canner and bring water to boil.
19. Place jars in canner rack and immerse in water.
20. Process for 10 minutes.
21. Remove jars from canner and place on a towel, then cover with another towel until cooled.
22. Jars are sealed when lids"pop" and are concave (turned downward).
23. Wipe jars clean and lable.
24. Store jars in a cool, dry place.

Reviews

[VenomousKate]

Another winner from Uncle Bill! I already had great confidence in this recipe since every one of yours that I've tried has been wonderful. This is no exception! Granted, there's a lot of chopping, mincing, etc., to be done. (It took me 4 hours!) But what a great way to spend a Saturday afternoon! This is a nice, zippy salsa. I used half of the honey, a little extra jalapenos (soaked in water for a few minutes to reduce their heat), and kept my ingredients a bit on the chunky side as you can see in the photo I uploaded. After canning 6 pints (I'd increased the recipe to use up my 5 lbs of tomatoes), I still had enough left over for a snack last night. To. Die. For. Love this, and thanks again, Uncle Bill!

[minmin-mika]

I LOVE SALSA!! The directions are so clear and very easy and very tasty!! I added some salt, and I didn't have a green pepper, and I used celery instead since that is my personal preference for this Salsa. But other than it, obeyed your instructions entirely! These have so many uses. Thank you so much for posting! I also will continue making this splendid salsa for 30 years in my future.

[Chef susan from Sandpoint,Idaho]

I made this with all lemon and no honey excellent recipe thank you Bill