Home Canned Salsa Workshop
2015
Provided by Barbara Brown, Ph.D., R.D./L.D.
Food Specialist, Oklahoma Cooperative
Extension Service
Assoc. Prof., Department of Nutritional Sciences
Step-By-Step Canning of Salsa
• This slide show is a description of typical steps in
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boiling water canning of tomato-pepper salsas at
home.
It is not intended to be a specific recipe and not
all steps may apply in every recipe.
It is not intended to be used with salsa recipes
that have not been tested and determined to be
safe for boiling water canning.
Recommended salsa recipes can be found at the
National Center for Home Food Preservation
website at:
http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_salsa.html
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
2015
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Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
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Prepare the Canner
• Make sure there is a rack in the
bottom of your canner.
• Fill boiling water canner about
half full of water, and begin
heating it.
• You need enough water so the
filled jars will be covered with 1
to 2 inches of water over the
tops.
• Water temperature should be
about 180°F when it is time to
add your filled jars.
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Prepare the Jars and Lids
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Select the number of pint jars
the recipe indicates it will
make.
Check jars for nicks and/or
cracks.
Select jar rings that display no
rust or bending, and new flat
lids.
Wash everything in warm,
soapy water. Rinse well.
Keep jars in warm water while
you prepare the salsa.
Follow directions from the lid
manufacturer for preparing
that specific type of lid.
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Jars do not need to be sterilized.
2015
Preparing lids: Ball/Kerr lids no longer
require warming before use
• Still safe to simmer lids before use, however, never boil
• Recommendation for over 40 years has been to
simmer (180°F), not boil (212°F)
• Change made in 1969
• Switched sealing gasket from latex-based to Plastisol
• Latex required pre-heating to soften prior to canning
in order to create an effective seal, Plastisol does
not but doing so will not damage it
• Removing simmering step was designed to make the
home canning process easier, speedier
• Current recommendation is to wash lids with warm,
soapy water and keep at room temperature until ready
for use
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Have extra hot water available
• Have an extra pot of
water heating in case
you need more to add to
the canner at processing
time.
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Collect the Ingredients
• Tomatoes (use the type in your recipe)
• Peppers (use the type in your recipe)
• Onion
• Vinegar (5%)
• Pickling or canning salt
Your recipe may also include
• Cloves of garlic
• Dried seasoning
• Black pepper, oregano leaves, ground cumin,
etc.
• Fresh herbs—cilantro, parsley, basil, etc.
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To prepare the tomatoes
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Wash tomatoes. Make an “x”-shaped slit in the
skin at the base of each tomato.
Dip washed tomatoes into boiling water for 30-60
seconds until skins just begin to split.
Dip immediately into cold water.
Slip skins off tomatoes and core them.
Chop tomatoes into small pieces. Measure out
the required amount.
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To prepare the peppers
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Caution: Wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch
your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. Wash
hands thoroughly before touching your face or eyes.
Wash peppers well. Cut peppers lengthwise. Remove stems
and white membranes. Remove seeds; the more seeds you
remove, the milder the salsa.
Chop the peppers into small pieces. Measure out required
amount.
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2015
To prepare the onions and garlic
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Remove the outer skin. Wash onion and garlic cloves
well.
Cut away any sprouting, tough stem or root end parts.
Chop the onions into small pieces. Use a garlic press to
for garlic (or mince finely by hand).
Measure the required amount of each.
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Cook the Salsa
• Canned salsa is a hot pack.
• Combine all measured prepared vegetables in a large
saucepot with the vinegar and seasonings. Bring to a boil,
stirring frequently.
• Reduce the heat and simmer as directed, stirring
occasionally.
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Fill the Jars, part 1
• Fill hot salsa into clean, hot
canning jars.
• Use ladle and jar funnel to
avoid getting salsa on the
sealing surface (and prevent a
big mess!).
• Leave 1/2-inch headspace,
making sure liquid juices cover
the pieces of food.
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Fill the Jars, part 2
• Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed, leaving
1/2-inch empty. Use a plastic knife or special bubble
remover tool. Do not use metal knives or spoons.
• Wipe the rims (top surface) of the jars with a dampened
clean paper towel, to make sure no food or liquid is on them.
This could interfere with sealing.
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Applying the Lids
• Remove pretreated lids from the warm water, using a
magnetic wand.
• Apply the lids to the tops of the jars.
• Tighten ring bands over lids until “fingertip-tight” and snug.
Take care not to overtighten and cut through the warm
gasket.
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Place the Jars in the Canner
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The temperature of the water in the canner should be about
180°F (simmering) when it is time to add your filled jars.
Carefully add jars to canner, using jar lifter. Keep them straight
up; do not tilt jars.
Racks for many boiling water canners have divided spaces for
holding jars. If using a flat rack, fill empty jars with water and
place in the empty space around your filled jars, to prevent jars of
salsa from moving around or tipping over.
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2015
Processing the Salsa
• After all jars are in the canner, make
sure water is 1 to 2 inches over the
tops of the jars. Place lid on canner.
• Turn heat on high and bring water in
canner to a full boil over the jars.
• After water is fully boiling, process
jars for the required process time.
Adjust time for altitude if needed.
• The water must never stop boiling. If
it does, return water to a boil and
start timing the process over from the
beginning.
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Removing Jars from the Canner
• After processing, turn off burner. Remove lid, turning away
from you to avoid getting steam in your face.
• Let jars sit in canner another 5 minutes.
• Using jar lifter, remove jars from canner, again without
tilting them, and set them on a thick clean towel, or plastic
or wooden cutting board to cool. Do not sit jars directly on
a cool surface.
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Cooling the Jars
• Let jars sit undisturbed while cooling—between 12-24
hours.
• If jars seal properly, the lid will be curved inward and
there will be a clear ringing sound when tapped.
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Storing the Jars
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Remove ring bands from sealed jars.
Gently wash lid area and threads of the jar (in case there
is any food or liquid residue that you might not even
see).
Then rinse and dry jars; label and date them.
Store jars without ring bands in a cool, dark, dry place.
Store unsealed jars in the refrigerator.
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2015
How much of the recipe can I change?
• Peppers
• Range from mild to hot
• Wear plastic or rubber gloves when handling hot
peppers and do not touch your face, particularly
around the eyes
• If you do not wear gloves, wash hands
thoroughly with soap and water before touching
face or eyes
• Okay to substitute one type of pepper for another
or mild peppers for chilies
• Do not increase the total amount (pounds or cups)
of peppers in any recipe
• Changes final acidity of the mixture and
potentially unsafe canned salsa
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How much of the recipe can I change?
Onions…
• Red and yellow onions may be substituted for
each other
• Do not increase the total amount of onions called
for in the recipe
• Changes the final acidity level of the salsa and
can create an unsafe canned product
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How much of the recipe can I change?
Acidic ingredients…
• Include vinegar, commercially bottled lemon juice or
lime juice
• Help preserve canned salsa
• USDA research has not been able to calculate a safe canned
salsa that tastes similar to fresh salsa
• Recipes for home canning have larger amounts of vinegar
or lemon juice, which create a more acidic flavor
• It’s important that the amount of acid in the recipe is never
reduced.
• While an equal amount of bottled lemon juice may be
substituted for vinegar in recipes, do not substitute
vinegar for lemon juice — this could result in less acidity
and potentially unsafe canned salsa.
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How much of the recipe can I change?
Spices and herbs…
• Amounts can be altered, with no risk of creating
a potentially unsafe canned salsa.
• For a stronger cilantro flavor in recipes with
cilantro, it is suggested to add fresh cilantro just
before serving instead of adding more before
canning.
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How much of the recipe can I change?
Thickeners…
• Do not thicken salsas with flour, cornstarch or
other starches before canning.
• Add these ingredients after opening canned salsa
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What if I want to make my own recipe?
• If your personal favorite salsa doesn’t have a
tested recipe for home canning, eat your creation
fresh, storing it up to one week in the
refrigerator.
• Store all open salsas in the refrigerator once
opened
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Do I have to process my salsa in a
boiling water canner?
• Method is called open kettle canning
• Results in a high rate of food spoilage, potential
illness
• Although food is hot and may be fully cooked,
it is difficult to reach and maintain
temperatures for time needed to destroy
spoilage microorganisms
• If not destroyed, the food can spoil even
though the lid is tightly closed
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Choice Salsa
• 6 cups peeled, cored, seeded and chopped ripe tomatoes
• 9 cups diced onions and/or peppers of any variety (See
Notes below)
• 1 and ½ cups commercially bottled lemon or lime juice
• 3 teaspoons canning or pickling salt
• Yield: About 6 pint jars
CAUTION: Wear plastic or rubber gloves and do not touch
your face while handling or cutting hot peppers. If you do
not wear gloves, wash hands thoroughly with soap and
water before touching your face or eyes.
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Procedure:
• Wash and rinse pint or half-pint canning jars; keep hot until
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ready to fill. Prepare lids and ring bands according to
manufacturer’s directions.
To prepare tomatoes: Dip washed tomatoes in boiling water
for 30 to 60 seconds or until the skins split. Submerge
immediately in cold water. Peel off loosened skins and remove
cores. Remove seeds and chop (¼- to ½-inch pieces).
To prepare onions: Peel, wash, core and dice onions (¼-inch
pieces).
To prepare bell peppers: Wash and core bell peppers. Remove
the seeds and membranes before dicing (¼-inch pieces).
To prepare hot peppers: Wash and remove stems of hot
peppers. Keep or remove as much of the seeds and
membranes as you wish, depending on the ‘pepper heat’ of
the salsa that you desire. Dice peppers (¼-inch pieces).
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Procedure:
• Combine prepared ingredients in a large pot; add
lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil over medium
heat while stirring. Reduce heat and simmer salsa for
an additional 3 minutes, stirring as needed to
prevent scorching.
• Fill the hot salsa into prepared hot jars, leaving 1/2inch headspace. If needed, remove air bubbles and
re-adjust headspace to ½-inch. Wipe rims of jars with
a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and
bands.
• Process in a boiling water canner according to the
recommendations in Table 1. Let cool, undisturbed,
12 to 24 hours and check for seals.
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Table 1. Recommended process time for Choice
Salsa in a boiling-water canner.
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Style of
Pack
Jar Size
Hot
Half-pint
or Pint
Jars
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Process Time at Altitudes of
0 – 1,000
1,001 –
Above
ft
6,000 ft
6,000 ft
15 min
20 min
25 min
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Lab instructions
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Meet in room 002 HS in 1 hour
Work in groups of 3 (or so)
Make 1 batch Choice Salsa (handout) per group
Use about 2 cups onion, 7 cups peppers (can swap
with another group to change ratio—stay with 9 cups
total
• Wear disposable gloves when working with
Jalapeños
Refrigerated foods will be in silver refrigerator
Pint jars will be in dishwasher, 6 per recipe
You will need to wash your own lids
Be precise, be patient, be polite
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Credits
• Reprinted with permission of the University of Georgia.
National Center for Home Food Preservation and Simmons,
H. 2008. Step-By-Step Canning of Tomato Salsa Using
Slicing Tomatoes. Athens, GA: The University of Georgia,
Cooperative Extension.
• This slide set was developed by Heather Simmons as a
student project in FDNS 3010, Department of Foods and
Nutrition, The University of Georgia, and edited by faculty of
the National Center for Home Food Preservation, June 2008.
• This material is based upon work supported by the
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under Agreement
No. 00-51110-9762.
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