Canned Whole Tomatoes

Ingredients

• About 2 pounds whole, ripe plum tomatoes, free of all damage
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid
• 1 teaspoon 100% pure sea salt or kosher salt, optional

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and set out a large bowl filled with ice water. While that heats, rinse the tomatoes well and remove any bits of leaves or stems. With a paring knife, cut a small X into the top of each tomato. Ease the tomatoes into the boiling water and leave them there until the skins just begin to pull away at the cuts, about 1 minute. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and move them into the ice water to cool; the peels should continue to loosen.
2. Remove the tomato skins and either discard them or save them for dehydrating. Put the peeled tomatoes into a large bowl.
3. Clean a 1-quart glass canning jar, or two 1-pint jars, with hot soapy water, rinse well, and set aside. You can also wash the jar or jars in the dishwasher and keep them there until you are ready to fill them.
4. Put the lemon juice or citric acid into the jar, dividing it evenly if you are using the pint jars. Add the salt the same way, if you are using it; it is there to season the tomatoes, so you can leave it out if you prefer.
5. Transfer the peeled tomatoes into the jar or jars. Press them down gently so they fit snugly, trying to keep them whole, though a few splits will not hurt anything, until the contents sit at a 1/2-inch headspace. Run a slim plastic or metal blade down into the jar and back out to release trapped air. If the level drops below the 1/2 inch mark, pour in liquid that collected in the tomato bowl, or water if there is not enough tomato liquid, until the headspace is back to 1/2 inch.
6. Use a damp towel to clean the jar rims. Set the lids in place, then twist on the rings just until they are finger-tight. If the lids are screwed on too firmly, the jars may not process properly.
7. If you are using a boiling-water bath, put a rack in the bottom of a stockpot and check that the pot is deep enough for the jars to sit inside with at least 2 inches of water over their tops. Add water until the pot is about halfway full. Bring it to a full rolling boil. At the same time, heat a kettle of water to boiling.
8. Once the pot is boiling, use jar-lifting tongs to carefully lower the jars into the water. After all the jars are in, check the water level; if it is not covering them by at least 2 inches, pour in boiling water from the kettle until the jars have 2 inches of water above them.
9. Cover the pot and bring the water back to a rolling boil. Boil the tomatoes for 85 minutes at sea level; for every 1,000 feet of elevation, increase that processing time by 5 minutes. When the processing time is finished, take the jars out.
10. If you are using a pressure canner, place the canner rack in the bottom and add about 4 inches of water. With jar-lifting tongs, carefully set the jars inside the pressure canner. Close and lock the lid according to the manufacturer’s directions. For a weighted-gauge pressure canner, process for 25 minutes once it reaches 10 psi. For a dial-gauge pressure canner, process for 25 minutes once it reaches 11 psi. At elevations above 1,000 feet, use 15 psi with a weighted-gauge canner, or use 12 psi with a dial-gauge canner. Operate the canner exactly as directed by its manufacturer.
11. Let the pressure canner release pressure through its vent as the manufacturer instructs. When it has completely returned to 0 psi, leave it undisturbed for 10 minutes. Do not try to take off the lid until the canner is fully depressurized and that 10 minutes has passed. Opening a pressure canner before the pressure has dropped is extremely dangerous, so do not attempt it. That 10-minute pause at 0 psi helps the jars adjust to the lower pressure; moving them too soon can lead to siphoning, which is liquid loss from the jar. When it is safe, carefully take off the pressure canner lid. Leave the jars in the canner for 15 minutes, then lift them out with the jar-lifter.
12. Leave the jars undisturbed for 24 hours, then inspect the seals. The lids should be firm and tight, with no movement when pressed, and each jar should contain liquid at least halfway up. If any jar fails this check, put it in the refrigerator and use the tomatoes within 1 week. Jars that pass can be kept in a cool, dark place for 12 to 18 months.