How to preserve a Bushel of Tomatoes in a Day

Step 6 Finishing Up

After the second batch of sauce was done, so was all the tomato roasting. The box was empty! I decided to go ahead and process a second batch of stock so I wouldn't have to store it in the freezer. I did have six quarts of pulp to freeze. I was planning to use those for canned chili meat and spaghetti meat sauce once I got some grass-fed beef later in September.

Once I got the stock jars in the canner, I began serious cleanup: four pots, a large colander, a large bowl, a blender, spoons, a ladle, a masher, knives, and the tomato mill. The counter beside the double sink was holding the day's results, one half of the double sink held a loaded drainer, and the overflow went out onto the deck rails in the sunshine.

From the bushel of Roma tomatoes I got:
- 12 pints of tomato sauce
- 12 pints of tomato stock
- 6 quarts of tomato pulp (for the freezer)
- a jar of extra sauce (for immediate use)
- a jar of extra pulp (for the fridge and later use)

Even with trimmings from the celery and herbs I used in the stock, I didn't fill my two quart kitchen compost bin.

I started processing a little after 9:30 in the morning and was finished at 3:30 in the afternoon.

Comments

[fluffydragon]

I noticed just one problem with your method - you should be using a canner specifically for acidic canned foods. Even if you boil it for 35 minutes per batch, you may not be preserving them correctly. You really need a pressure canner.

[fluffydragon]

Ignore my comment.. I did some quick googling, and it looks like tomatoes are actually fine to water bath. I wanted to do some black beans a few months ago and found out I couldn't do them without a pressure canner/cooker.