Looking a delicious way to preserve the vibrant flavors of your abundant cherry tomatoes? This easy canned cherry tomato recipe is a must-try!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 10 minutesmins
Cook Time 40 minutesmins
Total Time 50 minutesmins
Ingredients
2lbscherry tomatoesfresh
4tablespoonslemon juicedivided OR 1/2 teaspoon citric acid, divided
Instructions
raw pack:
Wash and sterilize pint jars jars. Fill a large water bath canner with water and begin heating it over high heat.
Meanwhile, wash fresh cherry tomatoes. Set aside.
Heat fresh water to a boil either using a kettle or in a large pot.
While water is coming to a boil, prepare sterilized jars by placing them on a heat-proof surface.
Pack the jars with tomatoes, leaving 1" headspace, add either 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid per pint jar.
Fill the jars with hot water, leaving 1" headspace. Wipe rims and cover with a lid. Tighten the rings finger tight.
Carefully lower the jars into the boiling water bath and process at a rolling boil. See chart below for timing depending on elevation.
Once done, remove jars from water bath canner using a jar lifter and place on a heat resistance surface and allow to rest untouched for 24 hours before checking seal and transferring to long term storage.
hot pack:
Wash and sterilize pint jars. Fill a large water bath canner with water and begin heating it over high heat.
Meanwhile, wash cherry tomatoes. Then add to a saucepan with water; 1 cup of water per 5 cups of whole cherry tomatoes and bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Prepare sterilized jars by placing them on a heat-proof surface.
Fill the jars with the heated cherry tomato mixture, leaving 1/2" headspace and add either 1 tablespoon lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid per pint jar.
Wipe rims and cover with a lid. Tighten the rings finger tight.
Carefully lower the jars into the boiling water bath and process at a rolling boil. See chart below for timing depending on elevation.
Once done, remove jars from water bath canner using a jar lifter and place on a heat resistance surface and allow to rest untouched for 24 hours before checking seal and transferring to long term storage.
Notes
processing times
Elevation / Processing Time PINTS0-1,000 feet / 40 minutes1,001 - 3,000 feet / 45 minutes3,001 - 6,000 feet / 50 minutesElevation / Processing Time QUARTS0-1,000 feet / 45 minutes1,001 - 3,000 feet / 50 minutes3,001 - 6,000 feet / 55 minutesProcessing times sourced from NCHFP CANNING TOMATOES PACKED IN WATER
storage
Properly water-bathed tomatoes can be kept in a cool, dark place, for up to 18 months. While the lids may seal for longer, flavor, texture, and color can change in an undesirable way.
Even properly processed and stored foods can lose their quality over time, so it's important to cycle the stock of your canned goods. The degradation occurs more quickly in temperatures above 70f or 21c.
yields
My batch of approximately 2 lbs assorted cherry tomatoes yielded 3 pints of raw packed tomatoes. If you are hot packing, estimate that each pound will yield around 1 pint.
adding acidity
There are 2 common ingredients that canners use to acidify their canned goods. Foods must have a PH OF 4.6 OR LOWER to be safely water bath canned.Lemon Juice: You'll need to add 2 tablespoons per quart or 1 tablespoon per pint.Citric Acid: Make sure to use 1/2 teaspoon per quart or 1/4 teaspoon per pint.Vinegar: Use vinegar at a rate of 4 tablespoons per quart or 2 tablespoons per pint.