Canned Tomatoes

Here's a nice photo process

or a recipe I picked up from the N&O

RECIPE Canned Tomatoes
Ingredients:

20 pounds tomatoes, peeled and quartered
Citric acid, 1/2 teaspoon per quart jar
Basil leaves, optional
Equipment:
8 quart jars with lids and screw bands
Canner pot with rack
Wooden spoon
Thin rubber spatula
Jar lifter

Directions:

1. Fill the canner a little more than half full with water and start to heat. (If it boils before you get to Step 5, reduce heat to warm so it's not too hot when you add the jars in Step 9.) In a separate pot, heat some water for blanching the tomatoes.

2. Wash the jars, lids and screw bands well by hand or in the dishwasher, keeping the jars in hot water or in the closed-up dishwasher. When ready to fill the jars in Step 5, you can keep the lids hot by placing them in hot water in the glass carafe of a coffee maker and setting it on the machine's warmer. Be sure the screw bands are dry.

3. Drop 3 to 5 washed tomatoes at a time in boiling water for about 1 minute, then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to a big bowl of ice water to stop the cooking and to get them cool enough to handle as you peel them.

4. Cut the core out of the peeled tomatoes and then, depending on their size, leave whole or cut in half or quarters and set them aside in a large glass or stainless steel bowl or pot, saving the juice.

5. Once all of the tomatoes have been prepared, start filling the hot jars with the room-temperature tomatoes, leaving 1/2 inch of head space from the top of the jar. As you fill, stop once or twice to arrange the tomatoes with a wooden spoon and press out some juice. You can add 3 to 4 fresh basil leaves along the way. Don't pack too tightly. Ladle in some of the tomato juice to get to the 1/2 inch of head space, but be careful not to use up the juice too early.

6. Run a thin rubber spatula along the inside edge of the jar to release any air bubbles.

7. Sprinkle 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid on top of the tomatoes. Wipe off the threads of the jar with a clean, damp cloth.

8. Using a pair of tongs, remove a hot lid from the water and set on jar. Put on a screw band and tighten.

9. Carefully set the jar, which should still be a little hot, on the rack in the canner. The water should be 1 inch above the tops of the jars. Add more water if necessary.

10. Repeat steps 5-9 with the remaining tomatoes.

11. When all the jars are in the canner, cover and bring to a boil.

12. Once the water starts to boil, start your timer for 45 minutes of processing, adjusting heat as necessary to keep the water at a gentle boil.

13. After processing, use jar lifter to carefully remove the jars and place on a towel on the counter. Leave at least 1 inch of space between the jars so that air can circulate.

14. As the jars cool, you should hear the popping of the lids as they vacuum seal. After cooling 12 to 24 hours, check lids to be sure they are fully sealed, pressing on the center to make sure it doesn't pop back. Remove the screw band and pull gently on the lid to make sure it doesn't come off easily. Store in a cool place.