OLD FASHIONED TOMATO CONSERVE



Heritage Tomatoes from Paley's Farm Market in Sharon, Connecticut.



Summer is winding down and loads of vegetables are coming out of local gardens. Here in the northeast it is officially tomato time, and there are so many ways to preserve tomatoes! Probably because when they are in season there are so many it is hard to know what to do with them, kind of like zucchini.

This conserve is based on a vintage recipe from an older Ball Blue Book with the cinnamon and cloves thrown in as a nod to Indian jams and chutneys and for the warmth these spices bring to the citrus tone, but they are optional and this conserve is good with or without them. 

Many similar recipes can be found categorized as tomato jam or tomato butter, but they all boil down to a thick, sweet tomato spread. The lemon juice and peel add acidity needed to make the tomatoes safe for preserving in the hot water bath, as well as pectin for help with the jelling process. If you are going to proccess this recipe in a Hot Water Bath you may add one tablespoon bottled lemon juice to each pint jar before adding your tomatoes.

It is very helpful if you have a candy thermometer, and make sure you have read through the recipe and have everything prepped, sterilized, and ready to go.  Once you have made the syrup, the canning process should progress rather quickly. 

Spread this conserve on warm rolls, serve as a side with a cheese plate, or as a spread for sandwiches.

OLD FASHIONED TOMATO CONSERVE


INGREDIENTS

5 pounds firm just ripe Tomatoes

2 pounds Sugar

1 lemon, thinly sliced

1 stick Cinnamon

2 Cloves



DIRECTIONS

Blanch the tomatoes in hot water and remove the skins. Cut into quarters, cover with sugar and allow to stand overnight. 

Drain off syrup; heat to the boiling point.

Once the syrup is boiling tie cinnamon and cloves (optional) into square of muslin, cheese cloth or jelly bag, suspend in mixture, also add lemon slices, continue cooking until syrup will spin a long thread  (230 - 235 degrees on candy thermometer). 

Remove bag of spices. 

Pack tomatoes into sterilized hot canning jars and carefully add hot syrup to 1/4 inch from rim.

Seal and process in Hot Water Bath for 15 minutes, or cool and store in refrigerator.

Cool and store processed jars in dark pantry for a year.

I made 5 half pint jars with this recipe.

PRESSURE CANNING VS. BOILING WATER BATH

You may have heard the terms "Hot Water Bath" or “Boiling Water Bath” and "Pressure Canning” when you are looking into preserving foods at home, but do you know the difference? If you plan to can fruits, vegetables, or meats you will be using both methods. The following is a quick overview on both types of canners.

Whether you are preserving high acid or low acid foods, it is important to read through the instructions and recipe, assembling all needed ingredients and cookware before beginning any canning or preserving process.

High acid foods can be preserved using a Boiling Water Bath. Acid foods include: Jellies, Jams, Marmalades, Fruits, Tomatoes (with added acid), Pickles, Relishes and Chutneys. Because Clostridium botulinum spores do not grow in the presence of acid it is safe to can high acid foods using the Boiling Water Bath method. The canner should be deep enough to allow at least 1 to 2 inches of water to boil over the jar tops. It must have a tight-fitting lid and a rack to keep jars off its bottom.The temperature of boiling water is 212 degrees Fahrenheit this can temperature is achievable using the Boiling Water Bath method of canning. 

When preserving vegetables, meats, seafood – low acid foods you will require a Pressure Canner. Low acid foods include: Vegetables, Meats, Poultry, Seafood, and combination Recipes (those that include low acid and high acid ingredients.) These foods MUST be heat processed at 240 degrees Fahrenheit for a specific, established time. The only way to achieve this temperature is by using a Pressure Canner. 

The Pressure Canner itself is a large kettle with a jar rack, a lid that locks in place, a safety valve, a vent, and gauge. Gauges indicate inside pressure and are either dial gauges, or metal weighted gauges. Individual cannes will come with instructions.  Read them throughly before using your canner.



The National Center for Home Preservation has extensive information on Pressure Canners as well as canning, drying, freezing, curing, smoking, pickling, fermenting and making jams and jellies. Ball Canning also offers a complete guide on canning, including some very helpful canning tutorials in the form of videos.

Whichever type of preserving  you are doing it is important to use ingredients at the peak of freshness. Follow the basic guidelines offered on either of the above websites, keep everything sterile, and your pantry will soon be filled with jars of delicious homemade preserves.

PRESSURE CANNING

Pressure canning is an economical method of preserving low acid foods and the only method recommended as safe by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for low-acid foods such as vegetables, some fruits, meats, fish and seafood.  A temperature of 240 F must be reached and maintained for a specified amount of time to kill harmful bacteria. This temperature can be reached only by creating steam under pressure.


Pressure canners can be relatively expensive, but if properly cared for will last years. If you plant a good-sized garden or can get lots of produce cheaply, it is definitely worth having one in your pantry. If your family is small and canning is something you probably will not do that often, freezing and/or canning using a Hot-Water Bath is probably good enough.


Hot Water Baths, aka Boiling Water Baths, are suitable only for canning strong acid foods like tomatoes – and for finishing pickles, relishes, jams, jellies, chutneys, conserves, vinegary preserves and the like.


Pressure canners were redesigned in the 1970's. Models made before the 1970's were heavy-walled kettles with clamp-on or turn-on lids. Modern pressure canners are lightweight, thin-walled kettles.


To be considered a pressure canner for preserving food, and not just for cooking under pressure, the USDA recommends that the pressure canner be large enough to hold at least 4 quart-sized jars. Really, in this case, bigger is better.


A tight-fitting lid that holds the ‘controls’ covers the kettle itself. Clamps fasten down the lid. Basically, pressure canner controls are: a pressure gauge, often referred to as the ‘dial’; an open vent to let steam escape; and a safety valve that blows if the pressure becomes unsafe.


Like the hot-water bath canners, the pressure canner will have a removable rack to keep the jars from touching the bottom of the canner or each other, and/or a wire basket that lets you lift all your jars out at one time.


Food scientists have determined that 10 pounds in the sea-level zone (240 F/116 C) as the safest and most effective pressure to use for low-acid foods. Depending on your location across the country, that amount will be variable, make sure to read instructions for putting your food by carefully and adjust the pressure accordingly.


Do not be intimidated by pressure canning. Your new pressure canner, and I do recommend purchasing a new canner - not a used one, will come with instructions. Take the time to read them through carefully and you will realize that operation is not as difficult as you may think.