Throwing Tomatoes

One day I want to go to Spain for the day that is a big Tomato Fight. I think that would be so fun. It's on my list of things to do in my life. But this post has nothing to do with that... in fact just the opposite... I'm not throwing.... just bottling.

A friend of mine brought me a box of tomatoes {thank you Ashlee!!} And since nothing stays mold free for long here in Florida {and we didn't have room in our fridge} I needed to do something. So I go the bottles out. Which wasn't so bad because I had just gotten done bottling chicken. {I had a busy day....}

The start of the tomatoes....

 Now this was the first time that I had ever done tomatoes, and my first time ever blanching anything {we have peaches but the husband really likes doing fruits so I let him have at it} So 3-4 minutes in boiling water....

And then into some cold water. Now here is a tip... it doesn't necessarily have to be ice water. The ice water just cools the fruit down faster. By the time I took this picture all the ice that we had in the house had melted, so it's just cool water. AND... the fruit can sit in the water as long as you need it to to cool down so you can handle it. {there was some questionable language by me before I realized that it was ok for the tomato to sit in the water and cool completely}

What a great sight to see... an empty box!

Clean bottles....{and cups as well}

Here is the start of my bowl of tomato flesh. After you pull the skin off, and it really does just come off, you want to clean out all the juice and seeds as best you can. You can half or quarter the tomatoes... these are quartered it made it easier to clean out the seeds.

Don't forget the lemon juice 2 Tablespoons per Quart bottle. {do you see the pint bottle there.... yeah that's my chicken I did today too....}

After you blanch, clean and get all the seeds out, bottle them up. If you have enough tomato juice in the bowl just add that. If you don't you can add a little water, but just up to the rim. Run a knife around the inside of the bottle to let out any air bubbles. Wipe the rim and put the lid on. And put them in a pot of boiling water to process. At sea level they process for 45 minutes


If you jars are not warm don't put them right in the pot, they will crack. {I know from personal experience} You can warm them up just in the dishwasher {on the heat setting} or just hold over the steam from the boiling water. You are just wanting to warm the jar so you don't put a cold jar into hot water.

Look how pretty!!! Now I have fresh tomatoes to use!! yeah for me :)

{I was so happy that they tasted the way they were suppose to!}