Canning Salsa

After all this garden business I am now prepping to can some salsa. I'm new to canning. Last weekend I did a trial run for salsa and I must say I think I did an excellent job.

Therefore Labor Day I'm planning on laboring over some more salsa.

Here is the recipe I used last week along with my comments and a recipe I'm planning on trying out. Keep in mind, you have to follow these recipes exact because of preservation methods and chemistry, BUT you can change the type of pepper you use, and you can exchange lemon or lime juice for the vinegar (but not vinegar for lemon juice because the acidity is not as strong)I have heard that you can add dry ingredients, but this is not confirmed. If you get lucky I may give you some instead of you having to slave over making your own.

Hot Pepper Salsa

10 cups tomatoes (peeled, cored, and chopped)
5 cups chili peppers (seeded and chopped - although I didn't seed them and I used one green pepper 6-7 jalapenos, and the rest green chilies)
1 cup onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup cider vinegar (I used a combination of lemon and lime juice)
1 tbsp. salt
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
1 tsp. cumin

Yield: 6 to 8 pints

Use a mixture of mild and hot peppers, 5 cups total.* Coming ingredients in a large saucepan. heat to a boil, and boil gently 10 minutes. Ladle hot salsa into hot pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe jar rims and cap with properly pretreated lids. Adjust lids. Process in a boiling water canner for 20 minutes.

*Wear rubber gloves when you cut or chop peppers!



Mango Salsa
6 cups diced unripe mango (about 3 to 4 large, hard green mangoes)
1½ cups diced red bell pepper
½ cup finely chopped yellow onion
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
1 cup light brown sugar
1¼ cups cider vinegar (5%)
½ cup water
Caution: Handling green mangoes may irritate the skin of some people in the same way as poison ivy. (They belong to the same plant family.) To avoid this reaction, wear plastic or rubber gloves while working with raw green mango. Do not touch your face, lips or eyes after touching or cutting raw green mangoes until all traces are washed away.
Yield: About 6 half-pint jars

Please read Using Boiling Water Canners before beginning. If this is your first time canning, it is recommended that you read Principles of Home Canning.

Procedure:

1. Wash and rinse half-pint canning jars; keep hot until ready to use. Prepare lids according to manufacturer's directions.


2. Wash all produce well. Peel and chop mango into ½-inch cubes. Dice bell pepper into ½-inch pieces. Finely chop yellow onions.


3. Combine all ingredients in an 8-quart Dutch oven or stockpot. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Reduce to simmering, and simmer 5 minutes.


4. Fill hot solids into clean, hot half-pint jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Cover with hot liquid, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace if needed. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened, clean paper towel; apply two-piece metal canning lids.


5. Process in a boiling water canner according to the recommendations in Table 1. Let cool, undisturbed, for 12 to 24 hours and check for seals.