Recipe · summer
Sarah's Salsa
Cindy's daughter Sarah's long-standing family salsa recipe — because of the onions, peppers, and garlic, this one must be pressure canned, not water-bath canned.
Meal: preserveMain: tomatoHands-on: min
Ingredients
- 15 lb tomatoes, chopped (about 20 cups)
- 5 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped (save seeds from 2)
- 10 cups chopped white or yellow onions
- 2 large green peppers, finely chopped
- 2 cups white vinegar (5% acidity)
- 1 cup tomato powder or 12 oz tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp salt (not iodized)
- 6–8 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 Tbsp freshly ground pepper
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
Steps
- 1Prepare 14 pint jars or 7 quart jars.
- 2Blanch and peel all tomatoes, then chop and place in a large pot.
- 3Wearing gloves, dice jalapeños; add the reserved seeds from 2–3 peppers (or all for more heat).
- 4Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, then simmer about 15 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- 5Ladle into hot jars and process in a pressure canner at 10 lb pressure for 30 minutes.
Meet the plant
- TomatoThe loud, generous neighbour who shows up with more than you asked for.
Tips that help here
- Water Deep, Not OftenShallow daily sips train roots to stay near the surface where it's hottest.
- Label the Lid, Not the JarA small habit that saves an hour every canning season.
- Tomato SkinsDon't toss them in the compost! Tomato skins hold up to 98% of the tomato's flavonoids, plus concentrated lycopene and fiber.
More like this
- Rhubarb KetchupA tangy, tomato-rhubarb ketchup with a hint of spice — great on burgers, meatloaf, or anywhere you'd use regular ketchup.
- Freezer Tomato PacksNo canner, no pressure gauge — the easiest way to keep a tomato glut.
- Roasted Tomato SauceCindy's favorite way to make tomato sauce — slow oven-roasting instead of stovetop simmering, for a richer flavour you won't go back from.