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Re-Canning Bulk Tomato Canned Products


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I have re-canned tomatoes like that but they turned out mushy.  I PC them as I felt that was safer.  I have also used the big cans to make sauces and Canned them according to the recipe.  They turned out good. 

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It isn't recommended but I don't remember why. Sorry. But having said that (because I have to :) ) I'll say that I do it all the time. They will come out a little soft but I don't mind that because I use them in soups and chili etc. 

 

What I do is buy a couple of the huge cans of tomato sauce and a couple of cans of diced tomatoes from Sam's Club. Usually three cans of sauce to two cans of diced. Then I simmer them way down to remove some excess water. I do it on the stove but a crock pot or roaster would work too.  Tomatoes tend to separate when canned. It's normal but looks funky. Tomatoes on the top and orangish water on the bottom. So I cook them to reduce some of the water. What I end up with is a chunky sauce similar to spaghetti sauce in consistency. You don't have to do those steps though! I just like them that way.

 

You can either water bath or pressure can. Just be sure to add lemon juice or citric acid to each jar before you process them.

 

Lemon juice   2 Tab. for Quarts            

Lemon juice   1 Tab. for Pints

---------------OR---------------

Citric  Acid    1/2 tsp. for Quarts

Citric  Acid    1/4 tsp.  for Pints

 

I also add salt but it isn't necessary. The times below are for a saucy product. Canning times MAY differ if using plain tomatoes. Not sure.

 

Water bath       Pints 40 min.     Quarts 45 min.

Pressure           Pints 20 min.     Quarts 25 min.

 

Pressure canning altitude 0-1,000 above sea level:

Can at 10 pounds of pressure on a weighted gauge or 11 pounds on a gauge.

Above 1,000 feet above sea level use 15 pounds of pressure on a weighted gauge.

 

Type in your city and state on Google and look at it on Wiki. It will tell you your altitude there. You will always use that number regardless of what you can. 

 

BE SURE TO RECHECK MY TIMES INCASE I MADE A TYPO.

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10 hours ago, Jeepers said:

It isn't recommended but I don't remember why. Sorry.

Acidity… probably.  Checking the edu. canning instructions, I didn’t see anything about not using mfg. products.  It recommends 1 tbs. per pint of lemon juice.  Wouldn’t the mfg. already have the proper acidity?  

 

Thank you Lady.   I thought I remembered someone (you) saying you got the big cans & re-canned them.  When I went to Sam’s the big cans cost, just over, the price we are paying at home for 1/4 the quantity.  

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The ing. List should say if citric acid is added but if you add anything extra that might change the acidity. ??

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Annarchy, it was me who wondered about why we have to add acid to tomato products if pressure canning. We can other items that are even lower in acid and we don't have to add acid to them. I understand that tomato varieties have changed and so has our soil. I get that. But why is it tomatoes are the only thing we add acid to. Why not meat?  Leisa at Suttons Daze, (the real canning Guru not me) mentioned about this just the other day. The USDA still recommends it so I do it. If anything else that is added like peppers or onions, then it must be pressure canned. 

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Another reason I like to recan tomato products, other than the gigantic size of those cans, is because tomatoes don't last nearly as long as other food items in a 'can'. You extend their life span greatly by using a glass jar. That goes for all tomato products like commercially canned soup, Spaghetti-O's, tomato paste, Beef-A-Roni etc.  Acid and tin cans don't play well together. 

 

I need to can some tomato paste in those little glass quarter pint jars to keep on my pantry shelf. I forgot about doing that. A good wintertime project. 

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I wasn’t planning on adding anything else.  All my recipes, add the spices, etc. while cooking.  Mainly because I cook such a variety of cuisines.  Don’t need Italian spices in my Mexican or oriental foods, type things.

 

Comparing the prices per quantity at Sam’s, seeing a gallon of tomato sauce and diced tomatoes for $5. was enlightening.  If, I could re-can it into my glass jars, in the amounts I use, that would save me a tremendous amount of money.

 

Next time…. 

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