~Fun Food Friday...Home-canned salsa!~

Sorry, I meant to post this on Friday, but got busy and completely forgot.
So, here it is, a day late. :-)

~HOME-CANNED SALSA!!~

~My First batch of salsa I made.~

My Friend Kim Hoffman shared her family recipe with me.
She gave me permission to share it with my readers!  :-) 
This salsa is DELICIOUS and our family loves it!!
One batch makes about 6 or 7 jars, so I make a double batch every time I make this!  Last time I made a TRIPLE batch and got 19 jars. :-)
I just have ONE JAR LEFT...so It's time to MAKE SALSA again!!!
ENJOY!
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Dear Heather,

Here is the salsa recipe.  It is our favorite salsa.  Hope you enjoy!

You don't have to peel the tomatoes, but I do.  My mom always did.  :-)  I put them in hot boiling water for a few minutes until the skins start to "crinkle".  I take them out and let them cool a bit and then pull the skin right off.  I score out the middle and then they're ready to chop.  :-)  My sis-in-law doesn't peel hers to can and I guess they're fine.  I don't know.  :-)

8 c. chopped tomatoes (I use 10 c.)
2 c. chopped onions
2 c. chopped peppers (green, red, or yellow)
1/2 c. white vinegar
1/2 t. cayenne pepper for mild salsa (I use 1/4 t. for a real mild salsa like I like, but for a hot salsa I use 1 t. or more)
1 t. chili powder
1 t. minced garlic
2 Tablespoons salt
3 Tablespoons sugar

3 or more Tablespoons of cornstarch with a few Tablespoons of water for thickening

Place all ingredients except cornstarch in large pot.  Heat, stirring often until boiling and desired consistency of veggies is reached. I bring it to a boil, then turn back to med and let simmer for about 10 minutes).  Continue cooking, rapidly stirring in the cornstarch/water mixture until desired salsa thickness, adding extra cornstarch if needed.  Ladle into jars and let seal or cold pack for 20 min.

You can change the heat by varying the cayenne pepper.  For a hot steamy salsa (like Doug likes) I add at least 1 t. of cayenne pepper, a heaping teaspoon of the chili powder, and chopped habanero peppers.  The cook type Clear Jel also works to thicken the salsa.

(NOTE:  Below, Kim is explaining how to can, but also is telling me how to can in OLD JELLY JARS, since I don't know where to get canning jars here in Argentina. :-)

CANNING INSTRUCTIONS - There are 2 types of methods.  I would have to google to know what the difference is. :-)  But if you have yours jars and lids in boiling water, and your salsa has just been taken off the burner (still steamy hot), you can put the salsa into the jars, leaving about 1/2 inch head space, wipe the rims, screw the lids on as tight as you can, and turn upside down.  I was taught to do this by a fellow missionary and he said he never had a jar not seal by turning it upside down.  I never have either.  :-)  So it works great.

The other method - which is the one I use now (called Coldpack) - is that you still sterilize your jars in the boiling water.  Fill with salsa, leaving about a half inch head space, screw lids on tight and then put back in boiling water and boil the filled jars (standing upright) in the water for 20 minutes.  You need to use a canner or you will likely crack the jars from the heat on the bottom of the pot. Here they have a heavy pot that they use to cook rice.  I have used that pot to boil my jars since I don't have a canner here, and so far I haven't broken one.  :-)  It is a thick heavy pot.  After I've boiled them for 20 minutes, I still take them out and turn them upside down on a dish towel and let set overnight.  Sometimes I sneak a peek when they're cooled just to make sure they sealed.

I think they will seal with either method. I think the boiling for 20 minutes in the pot maybe preserves them a little better and the salsa will last longer.  Also it's supposed to be more sterile according to my understanding.

~This was my first batch of home-canned salsa that I made using the old jelly jars. :-)
It was YUMMY, and my family loved it !!!
I've made several batches since then! :-)    ~HEATHER~

~HEATHER~