How To Make and Can Stewed Tomatoes

One of the best ways to preserve the tomatoes from your garden or Farmer’s market is to make and can stewed tomatoes. Fresh picked tomatoes, onions, celery and green peppers are cooked low and slow along with a few herbs and spices.

This combination creates the perfect ingredient that you can use throughout the year in hearty stews, soups, sauces and more. In fact, you can use these tomatoes in most recipes that call for diced tomatoes.

Add a jar to your favorite pasta, rice and casserole recipes. Each time that you pull a jar off your shelf in the middle of winter, fond memories of your summer garden will warm your heart and brighten even the coldest days.

Canned Stewed Tomatoes vs. Canned Diced Tomatoes

So what exactly are canned stewed tomatoes and how do they differ from a can of diced tomatoes? Canned stewed tomatoes and canned diced tomatoes differ in preparation, texture, and flavor, making them suited to a variety of dishes.

Stewed tomatoes are slowly cooked with added ingredients like onions, celery, green peppers, and sometimes herbs and spices, resulting in a richer, more developed flavor and softer texture. These tomatoes are ideal for hearty dishes like stews, soups, and casseroles, where you want a deep, flavorful base.

On the other hand, diced tomatoes are simply chopped tomatoes packed in their own juice, typically without additional ingredients or pre-cooking. They retain a firmer texture and have a fresher, more straightforward tomato taste.

Diced tomatoes are perfect for recipes where you want a bright, fresh tomato flavor that allows for further seasoning during cooking, such as in pasta sauces, chili, or as a base for various dishes.

Therefore, it is best to use stewed tomatoes when you are looking for a more robust, seasoned flavor.

What Tomatoes Make The Best Canned Stewed Tomatoes

While you can use almost any variety of tomato to make stewed tomatoes, certain types are preferred for a thicker final product. Plum or paste tomatoes, such as Roma, San Marzano, and Amish Paste, are ideal for most canning recipes.

These tomatoes, with their oval shape and palm-sized fruit, have a mild flavor that compliments other ingredients well. They also contain fewer seeds, have low water content, and possess thicker flesh, making them perfect for canning.

That said, you can also use standard slicing tomatoes, although the consistency of the final product may be thinner. Despite this, the stewed tomatoes will still deliver excellent flavor.

After testing this recipe multiple times it’s recommended to use a blend of 75% paste tomatoes and 25% heirloom tomatoes. This combination will give you the best texture and flavor.

Regardless of the variety you choose, it’s important to select just-ripe tomatoes with a firm texture. You do not not want to use tomatoes that are already beginning to soften.

And be sure to remove any damaged areas before preserving to ensure the best quality.

Steps For Making Canned Stewed Tomatoes

STEP 1: Prepare The Tomatoes

While peeling the tomatoes isn’t strictly necessary, it is better to do so when using the stewed tomatoes in other recipes. If you leave the skins on, they’ll eventually detach during simmering, leaving strands of skin throughout the mixture. Although harmless, many people find the texture of tomato skins unappealing.

Luckily, peeling tomatoes is a simple process. Start by bringing a large pot of water to a boil. Place the whole tomatoes in the boiling water for one minute. Afterward, quickly transfer them to an ice water bath using a slotted spoon.

Once the tomatoes have cooled enough to handle, the skins will easily slip off. Then, chop the tomatoes into large chunks and add them to your pot.

STEP 2: Add The Other Ingredients

Once the tomatoes are in the pot it is time to add the other ingredients. Stir the mixture and then bring it to a boil, stirring frequently to prevent the tomatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Reduce the heat and let it rapidly simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

STEP 3: Canning Stewed Tomatoes

The only safe way to can stewed tomatoes is by processing them in a water bath or pressure canner. Open kettle canning is not a safe canning practice per the USDA.

Although tomatoes used to be considered a high acid food and in the past could be preserved in a variety of ways, that is not always the case. Therefore you must add either lemon juice, citric acid or 5% vinegar to each jar to safely preserve the tomatoes.

When canning tomatoes, you should add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid per pint of tomatoes to ensure safe acidity. You can also use 2 tablespoons of 5% vinegar per pint. *Double the amount if canning in quart size jars.

Canned Stewed Tomatoes Recipe

* Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to read the entire article for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 quarts peeled and cored tomatoes, cut in large chunks
• 1 cup diced celery
• ½ cup diced onion
• ¼ cup diced green pepper
• 1 tablespoon sugar, optional
• 2 teaspoons salt, optional
• 6 tablespoons bottled lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Prepare the Tomatoes

Fill a large pot 3/4th full of water and bring it to a boil. Carefully place whole tomatoes into the boiling water for 1 minute. Use a slotted spoon to remove the tomatoes and place in an ice water bath.

As soon as they are cool enough to handle, remove the skins with your hands. Core and cut into large chunks. *No need to remove the seeds or juice from the tomatoes.

Stew The Tomatoes and Vegetables

In a large pot over medium-high heat add the tomatoes, celery, onions, green pepper and salt/sugar if using. Heat, stirring frequently until boiling. Boil the mixture for 10 minutes.

Sterilized and heat pint sized mason jars. Add the recommended amount of water to your pressure canner and add 1 teaspoon of white vinegar to the water (this will help the jars from becoming spotted during processing). Or if using a water bath canner, fill the pot with water and place over high heat so that the water is hot but not yet boiling.

After the tomato mixture has boiled for 10 minutes, ladle into warm pint jars using a funnel. Once the jar is half full, add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to each pint jar. Continue to fill the mason jar until there is ½ inch headspace. Wipe the rim clean and add a canning lid. Secure by adding the band just until finger tight.

Canning Instructions

Water bath pint jars for 40 minutes, (quart jars 50 minutes) or Pressure can at 10lbs. or pressure for 15 minutes (quart jars 20 minutes). *Follow your manufacturer’s recommendation for canning instructions.

Once the processing time is up, turn off the heat and allow the jars to sit in the water bath canner for 5 minutes or if using a pressure canner let the pot depressurize and after you remove the lid let the jars sit for 10 minutes before removing.

Using a jar lifter remove the jars to a countertop with a thick towel. Wait 24 hours and check to see if the jars have been sealed properly by pressing on the center of the lid. If it moves the jar did not seal properly and place the jar in the refrigerator. All sealed jars can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.

ENJOY!

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