Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to rolling boil.

2. While the water is heating up, remove the cores of the tomatoes and score an “X” into the skin on the bottom of the tomatoes, just deep enough to cut the skin.

3. Working in small batches, lower the tomatoes into the boiling water (the batch should be small enough that the water is able to continue boiling) for a few seconds, turning as needed.

4. When the skins have loosened transfer the tomatoes to the ice bath and stir to ensure immediate cooling. Repeat until all tomatoes have been boiled and chilled.

5. Once cool enough to handle, remove the tomato skins.

   

Prepare the jars for canning

1. For each quart jar, add 1 Tbsp of lemon and 1 tsp of salt.

   For each pint jar, add 1/2 Tbsp of lemon and ½ tsp of salt.

For whole tomatoes

1. Place tomatoes in a pot with enough water to cover them. Bring the tomatoes to a boil and pack them into the prepared jars while hot, pouring the boiled water into each jar to cover the tomatoes in liquid. Leave at least ½” of space at the top of the jar.

For diced tomatoes

1. Cut each tomato in large dice (cutting into 4 wedges and then all in half). Bring the tomatoes to a boil and pack them into the prepared jars while hot, leaving at least ½” of space at the top of the jar.

2. If you prefer seedless diced tomatoes, cut each tomato in half to make 2 shorts halves and squeeze the seeds out of the halves. Proceed with dicing and boiling as above.

For crushed tomatoes

1. Cut the tomatoes in half and put them in a pot to boil. As the tomatoes are heating, crush them with a hand blender or potato masher to desired chunkiness. You can also crush them in a food processor cold and then bring them to boil.

2. When the tomatoes have boiled, pack them into the prepared jars while hot, leaving at least ½” of space at the top of the jar.

3. If you prefer seedless diced tomatoes, cut each tomato in half to make 2 shorts halves and squeeze the seeds out of the halves. Proceed with crushing and boiling as above.

To season the tomatoes with spices before canning

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   To season the jars before canning, you can add to the jars and give them a shake once cooled.

   
   

   
   

   If you’re not sure how much to put, you can season the tomatoes to your liking during the boiling step. For example, after boiling the diced tomatoes, pack some jars with the plain tomato and while the remaining tomato dice is hot you could add your blend of choice and season to taste before packing into the jars.

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   
   

   For the Shakshuka starter: add 2 tsp of Izak and 2 tsp of Shawarma West to 1 qt of diced tomatoes.

   For a pasta base: add 1 Tbsp of Pizza Posto to 1 pint of diced or crushed tomatoes.

   For tomato soup: add 1 tsp of Ararat to 1 pint of diced or crushed tomatoes.

   

Processing

1. Make sure the edges of the jars are clean, close the lids, and screw the bands on tightly.

2. Bring the large pot of water to boil with enough water to cover the jars. Lay a folded tea towel into the bottom of the pot and line the jars into the pot.

3. Leave to boil for 45 minutes.

4. Carefully remove the hot jars to a rack or heatproof surface and leave them to cool to room temperature for a few hours.

5. Test the seals for proper processing. When the rings are removed the lids should not move and be sealed down tight. The jars should be ready to enjoy for up to 1 year.