How To Can Crushed Tomatoes – An Easy Way To Preserve Tomatoes

Take advantage of those fresh ripe tomatoes and learn how to can crushed tomatoes at home with just a few simple steps for year-round use. Crushed tomatoes are perfect to use in soups, stews, pasta sauce, chili, and countless other recipes that call for cooked tomatoes with a bit of texture.

Luckily, the process of canning crushed tomatoes is easy to do. You’ll start by peeling and briefly cooking them before packing into jars. Then the mixture must be acidified with bottled lemon juice or citric acid to ensure safe storage, whether you’re using a boiling water bath or pressure canner.

Once processed and sealed, jars of home-canned crushed tomatoes can be stored for up to a year or more in a cool, dark place. It’s a great way to make the most of garden or farmers market tomatoes while avoiding store-bought versions filled with preservatives or added salt.

Understanding Yields and Quantities To Can Crushed Tomatoes

To plan ahead, it’s helpful to understand how many tomatoes you’ll need. On average, about 22 pounds of fresh tomatoes are needed to can 7 quarts of crushed tomatoes. If you’re canning pints, you’ll need around 14 pounds to fill 9 pint jars.

A full bushel of tomatoes weighs about 53 pounds and will typically yield 17 to 20 quarts. This means you’ll use about 2¾ pounds of tomatoes per quart jar.

These estimates can vary depending on the type of tomato used and how juicy they are. Paste tomatoes like Roma or San Marzano, will yield slightly less juice but are thicker and meatier, making them ideal for canning. Slicing tomatoes work too, but may require longer cooking to evaporate excess liquid.

Preparing Tomatoes for Canning

The first step in canning crushed tomatoes is peeling and coring. While this might seem time-consuming, it’s essential for both texture and safety.

1. Wash the tomatoes thoroughly under running water to remove any dirt or debris.
2. Blanch to remove skins: Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Then working in batches, carefully lower whole tomatoes into the boiling water. Let them sit for 30 to 60 seconds, or just until the skins start to split.
3. Cool immediately: Transfer tomatoes into a bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Once cooled, you can easily slip off the skins and remove the cores. Then trim off any bruises or blemishes, and cut each tomato into quarters.

Cooking Crushed Tomatoes

Crushed tomatoes aren’t pureed or fully broken down as they keep some of their texture, making them a nice middle ground between diced tomatoes and tomato sauce.

1. Heat and crush a portion: Start by placing about one-sixth of the quartered tomatoes into a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot. Then use a wooden spoon or potato masher to crush them and release their juices. Turn on the heat and begin warming them up.
2. Add and heat the rest: As the initial tomatoes begin to boil, gradually add the remaining quartered tomatoes, stirring continuously. However, you don’t need to crush these – stirring and heat will help them soften.
3. Simmer: Once all the tomatoes are added, continue boiling the mixture gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.

Acidifying the Jars

Whether using a water bath or a pressure canner, acidification is essential when preserving crushed tomatoes. Tomatoes are borderline in terms of acidity, and adding bottled lemon juice or citric acid ensures a safe pH level to prevent the risk of botulism.

• For quarts: Add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or ½ teaspoon of citric acid per jar.
• For pints: Add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon of citric acid per jar.

Add the acid directly to each jar before filling them with hot tomatoes. You can also add 1 teaspoon of canning salt per quart jar if desired, though it’s optional and just for flavor.

Filling and Sealing the Jars

1. Fill jars: Using a ladle and wide-mouth funnel, fill each prepared jar with the hot crushed tomatoes, leaving ½-inch of headspace.
2. Remove air bubbles: Run a bubble remover or non-metallic spatula around the inside of each jar to release trapped air.
3. Wipe rims: Use a clean, damp cloth to wipe jar rims to ensure a good seal.
4. Apply lids and rings: Place the lids on top and screw on the bands until fingertip tight.

Processing Options

Crushed tomatoes can be preserved using either a boiling water bath or a pressure canner. Choose the method that works best for your equipment and preference.

Boiling Water Bath Canner

This method for canning is widely used and safe when crushed tomatoes are properly acidified.

• Pint jars: Process for 35 minutes at elevations up to 1,000 feet.
• Quart jars: Process for 45 minutes at elevations up to 1,000 feet.

For higher elevations, increase the processing time:

• 1,001 to 3,000 ft: Add 5 minutes
• 3,001 to 6,000 ft: Add 10 minutes
• Above 6,000 ft: Add 15 minutes

Pressure Canner – Weighted Gauge

Using a pressure canner slightly reduces the total processing time.

• Process pints or quarts for 20 minutes:
  • At elevations 0–1,000 ft, use 5 lbs of pressure
  • At elevations above 1,000 ft, use 10 lbs of pressure

Pressure Canner – Dial Gauge

• Process pints or quarts for 20 minutes:
  • 0–2,000 ft: 6 lbs
  • 2,001–4,000 ft: 7 lbs
  • 4,001–6,000 ft: 8 lbs
  • 6,001–8,000 ft: 9 lbs

Be sure to follow your pressure canner’s manual for proper operation and safety steps.

Cooling and Storing Cans of Crushed Tomatoes

Once the processing time is complete:

1. Turn off the heat and then allow the canner to cool.
2. If using a pressure canner, wait for pressure to return to zero before opening the lid.
3. Remove jars carefully using a jar lifter and then place them on a towel-lined surface. Let them cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours.

After cooling:

• Check seals by pressing the center of each lid. If it does not flex up and down, the jar is sealed.
• Remove the band, label and then store sealed jars in a cool, dark place.
• Any unsealed jars should be placed in the refrigerator and used within a few days.

If you find yourself with extra tomatoes, be sure to make Canned Tomato Sauce as well. It is another great way to enjoy the taste of your fresh picked tomatoes all year long!

ENJOY!

Follow Our Facebook Page For Even More Great Tomato Growing Tips! I Grow Tomatoes Facebook Page

I Grow Tomatoes is a website created for those who love all things about tomatoes – from planting and growing – to cooking and canning! We publish two articles every week, 52 weeks a year. Sign up today to follow via email! This article may contain affiliate links.