Canning Recipe: Mild Salsa

What do you do when you have baskets of fresh tomatoes and onions on your kitchen counter? Make salsa of course! I am not the most experienced at canning, and until this year I had only done it in my Mom’s kitchen under her guidance (you are never too old to need your Mother’s help). This time my help came in the form of a Bernardin Starter Kit. The mild salsa canning recipe however, is my own creation.

My mild salsa is a little sweeter than I intended. You can cut the sweetness by adding more lime juice or more hot peppers. Just do a few a little at a time and taste as you go.

Home Canning Starter Kit

An instructional DVD CD featuring our Executive Chef Emerie Brine. He demonstrates how easy it is to prepare one of the most popular jams, Strawberry. The kit comes with a rack, a 21 quart canner, jar lifter, funnel,lid lifter, bubble remover, 4 pack Collection Elite decorative jars with lids, Original Crystals pectin and recipe booklet.

For those of you who have not canned before, below you will find detailed instructions on the Bernardin website. Here is an overview. Home canning is very rewarding and can be a lot of fun if you take a few minutes to prepare.

1. Determine the recipe to ensure you have all ingredients and foods, and select the proper “step by step” instructions.
2. Review the recipe to ensure you have all the ingredients and tools.  For best results, do not substitute.
3. Fill home canner with fresh water and heat, it will take longer then you think to come to a boil.
4. Visually inspect mason jars for nicks, cracks, uneven rims or sharp edges that may prevent sealing or cause breakage.   Wash jars (even if new) and place on a rack in a boiling water canner.  Cover jars with water heat water to simmer (180°F/82°C).  Keep jars hot until ready to use.
5. Set screw caps aside, place SNAP LID® closures in small pot of hot (but not boiling water).
6. Set up your “filling station” and have your non-metallic funnel, your ladle, paper towels, tongs and screw bands at the ready.  Also, if making spreads, a spoon and bowl for skimming during cooking time is handy.
7. Set up your “resting station”.  Set clean tea towels in a place near the stove where your processed jars can rest, undisturbed, for 24 hours.
8. Pre-measure  dry ingredients.  Some recipes are time sensitive, so having ingredients ready is essential.
9. Prepare fesh ingredients as per direction.
10. Heat pr ocess ALL home canned foods (freezer spreads excepted), follow Step By Step directions and you’ll have success!

Overall, I’m very happy with how it all turned out and I can’t wait to make something else. I think I will try the strawberry jam from the instructional video!

What type of canning do you like to do?