i canned ~ canned salsa

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we came home with a lot of anaheim peppers from the co-op.  the co-op.  i just like saying that.  the co-op. 

what do you do with a lot of anaheim peppers?  you make salsa. 

so, i did.

i invited my neighbor tryna over to assist me.  she's a newly accomplished canner (is that a word?).  she canned some delicious (like FOR REALS delicious) apricot jam that i love so much i've found myself standing at the counter, dipping my cracker straight into the jar.  i insist she assure me that it is sugar free.  

so anyway,  i said to tryna, do you want to can salsa?  and tryna said, yes. 

she provided the jars and the know how while i provided the peppers and 15 pounds of tomatoes.  oh, and the recipe, i found the recipe here.  it's a keeper.  promise.  

we made a few changes.  first, we only used about 2/3 of the recommended peppers and jalapeno.  the bite is just right (in our humble opinions) and, we ran the tomatoes through the processor for more of a restaurant style salsa rather than a chunkier version.  

this recipe says it makes approximately 13 pints.  we only ended up with 7.75 pints altogether so .... i don't know if we did something wrong or, if the recipe source sucks horribly at arithmetic.

canned salsa (copied and pasted directly from the source good life eats)

• Kerr pint canning jars - sterilized in the dishwasher
• Lids - thin, flat, metal lids with gum binder that seals them against the top of the jar. You need new lids each time.
• 15 lbs tomatoes - I used a mixture of on-the-vine and Roma for texture variation
• 7 Anaheim chilies - seeded
• 4 jalapenos - seeded
• 3 c chopped onion
• 1/2 c fresh cilantro
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 Tbs oregano - I used fresh from my herb garden
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 Tbs salt
• 1 1/2 Tbs ground cumin
• 1 Tbs chili powder
• 1 c 5% apple cider vinegar
• 2 - 6 oz. cans tomato paste

Advance prep-work: make sure the jars have been sterilized in the dishwasher. Boil the lids gently for 3 minutes.

The first step is the most time intensive - removing the skins and seeds. I think it is best to have 2 people working in tandem with one removing the skins and another removing the seeds if you are able. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Put tomatoes a few at a time into boiling water (30-45 seconds), then plunge in ice water. This makes the skins very easy to remove.

After removing the skins, cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds and excess water. Squeeze each tomato and use your finger or a spoon to scoop and shake out most of the seeds. It doesn't need to be perfect. Put the peeled and de-seeded tomatoes into a colander as you work. Next, chop them into 1/2 inch pieces and set aside in a large pot.

Using a food processor, process the onions, Anaheim chilies, and jalapeno peppers to about 1/8 of an inch. Process them separately so that you can add a little of the chilies and peppers at a time until you reach your desired heat.

Bring the tomatoes to a simmer and add the onions and seasonings. Start off adding half of the chilies and peppers. Bring to a gentle simmer. Taste it as it simmers to see if you would like additional seasonings or peppers. If you like a thicker salsa, you can add 4 Tbs of cornstarch to the vinegar mixture before adding. Add the vinegar, and cornstarch if using. Add the tomato paste. Simmer 5 minutes.

While you are filling the jars with salsa, bring a large pot of water to a boil to can the salsa. Fill the jars to within ¼-inch of the top, cover with the lid and hand-tighten the ring around them. Be sure the top of the jar and underside of the ring are clean to get a good seal. Put them in the canner and keep them covered with at least 1 inch of constant boiling water. Process the jars in a boiling-water bath for 15 minutes for 8 oz and pints. You will need to adjust the time if your altitude is different than sea level - it will tell you on the packaging for the lids how many minutes to add depending on your altitude.

Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them. Once the jars are cool, you can check that they are sealed. Just press in the center with your finger. If it pops up and down, it is not sealed. If you put the jar in the refrigerator right away, you can still use it. If they have successfully sealed you can store the salsa in your pantry until you're ready to eat it.