This fresh salsa recipe is a great place to start if you have never canned before and an even better place to start if you have beautiful tomatoes from the garden or the farmers market. By water bath canning simple and fresh ingredients, you not only have a lovely recipe to enjoy but it also allows you to appreciate the fruits of your labor (if using homegrown!) and the deliciousness of summer produce year round. And what’s better than opening a zesty jar of salsa to be served with a big bowl of crunchy corn chips? It’s hard to beat!
A BIG THANKS TO OUR SPONSOR
For today’s sponsor, I would like to give a big shoutout to the makers of Ball® home canning products! I have been using their products and making recipes from their archives for years and I just love them! This is one of their tried and true recipes and it’s delightful. When it comes to canning, they are my go-to company and I cannot recommend them enough. Tap here to get your own set of jars.
LET’S TALK ABOUT WATER BATH CANNING
Before I show you how to make this fresh salsa, I want to talk a little bit more about water bath canning. (I do this in most of my canning recipes on the blog just to cover the basics! If you are familiar, you can skip to the recipe!) Check out this excerpt from Ball®’s website which explains it perfectly:
A lower-temperature canning process, water bath canning is ideal for high-acid foods and recipes that incorporate the correct measure of acid. The combination of time and temperature destroys mold, yeast, and enzymes that cause spoilage while creating a vacuum seal.
DON’T BE OVERWHELMED
Now I know that a process like this may seem overwhelming at first but, from personal experience, I can honestly say that after you do it once- it becomes much easier! I also think that because this recipe is so simple, it’s a great starting point. Check out this post and watch the video to help you understand the process.
EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR CANNING THE FRESH SALSA
About 4 pint jars (16 oz) or 8 half-pint jars (8 oz)
Water bath canner is a large pot with a jar rack. You could also use a very large pot with a flexible canning rack which keeps the jars upright and allows for water circulation during the canning process. The canner will also sterilize the jars before filling them with jelly.
A Jar Lifter is a handy tool that makes moving jars to and from the canner safe and seamless. The water and jars will be very, very hot- so this tool is essential!
A Jar Funnel will allow the jars to be full without making a total mess!
A Bubble Remover/Headspace Tool helps to removes air bubbles from the jar. It also measures headspace to ensure a good seal during the canning process.
You can buy all of these separately or in a set like this.
INGREDIENTS FOR THE FRESH SALSA
Y’all, this recipe could not be simpler. And when you are using good, fresh ingredients like this… you don’t need much! To start, you will dice a good amount of fresh tomatoes. They will need to be cored, skinned, and de-seeded. Then you add them to a large pot and add fresh cilantro, green onions, jalapeño, garlic, lime juice, vinegar, a few drops of hot sauce, and salt. That’s it! Mix it well and cook it for 15 minutes until it is reduced.
PROCESSING THE JARS
Once the salsa is cooked down, you will fill the jars, add the lids and then you will process the jars. This will seal them and make them shelf stable. (Here is a great link to check out if you are new to the process). Once done, you will let the jars cool for 12-24 hours before enjoying. You can then eat it with chips or gift a jar to friends and family! You can also watch me make this salsa on Instagram (I will share the post once it’s live!).
ENJOY THIS FRESH SALSA
And there you have it, folks: Fresh Salsa! A delightful summer dip that you can now enjoy all year long. If you have any questions about the recipe, please let me know and, if you make this salsa, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. Until next time, happy canning.
Timothy
IF YOU LIKE THIS FRESH SALSA TRY THESE RECIPES:
7 cups diced, seeded, peeled & cored tomatoes (about 5 lb or 15 medium) Prepare the ingredients: Remove the stems from the tomatoes and lightly score an "X" on the bottom of each one with a sharp paring knife. Blanch them for about 30 seconds, then submerge into an ice bath for easier peeling. Once cool, remove the skins, and dice, discarding the seeds and cores. Then chop the green onions and jalapenos, mince the garlic and cilantro, and gather the remaining ingredients. Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside. Cook the salsa: Combine vinegar, water and salt in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring to dissolve salt. Place 1 clove crushed garlic and 1 dill sprig into a hot jar. Pack beans cut side up leaving a ½ inch headspace. Can the salsa: Ladle hot brine into a hot jar leaving a 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling-water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled. Water must cover jars by 1 inch. Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner, and bring water to a rolling boil. Process pint jars 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat and remove cover. Let jars cool 5 minutes. Remove jars from canner; do not retighten bands if loose. Cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.
Ingredients
6 green onions, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup white vinegar (5% acidity)
2 tablespoon bottled lime juice
4 drops hot pepper sauce
2 tablespoon minced cilantro
2 teaspoons saltInstructions
*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post that is part of an ongoing partnership with the Fresh Preserving Division of Newell Brands. They have provided jars, equipment and monetary compensation. All thoughts and opinions expressed remain my own.