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jamie_e

Green tomato salsa

jamie_e
18 years ago

We have been canning a lot of tomato sauce and salsa over the past few weeks thanks to a great summer. The summer is coming to an end though and there are still a lot of green tomatoes on the plants. Does anyone have a recipe for green tomato salsa suitable for canning?

Thanks,

Jamie

Comments (35)

  • annie1992
    18 years ago

    Jamie, this is the one I use, I think I got it from Linda Lou. I also use lime juice instead of lemon, my mother is allergic to lemon and the lime gives the salsa a nice flavor.

    Green Salsa

    Yield: 5 pints

    5 cups chopped green tomatoes
    1 1/2 cups seeded, chopped long green chiles
    1/2 cup seeded finely chopped jalapeños
    4 cups chopped onions
    1 cup bottled lemon juice
    6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
    1 Tbsp ground cumin*
    3 Tbsp oregano leaves *
    1 Tbsp salt
    1 tsp black pepper

    Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and stir frequently over high heat until mixture begins to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Ladle hot salsa into pint jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner 15 minutes at 0-1,000 feet altitude; 20 minutes at 1,001-6,000 feet; 25 minutes above 6,000 feet.

    Annie

  • booberry85
    18 years ago

    Mmmmmmmm! Green tomato salsa! That's (another) one of my favorites. I don't think I'll have enough green tomatoes at the end of the season to make the salsa. My tomatoes had a bad year. They got blight early. I highly recommend the salsa though!

  • victrola
    18 years ago

    Do you have to blanch the green tomatoes?

    What do the asterisks (next to oregano and cumin) refer to?

    Curious about this.

  • booberry85
    18 years ago

    No, you don't have to blanch the green tomatoes - no peeling either. The oregano and the cumin are optional.

  • annie1992
    18 years ago

    Thank you, booberry, I just got to this thread. You're absolutely right, no blanching the tomatoes and the asterisks denote optional ingredients.

    Annie

  • ksrogers
    18 years ago

    Another addition of tomatillos as well as lime juice, instead of the lemon juice will give a really nice flavor. I think the asterisks are for variable amounts to taste. Dont forget the garlic too..

  • kcsunflower
    18 years ago

    Great I have been looking for this recipe and now I can get to canning it. Thanks Annie!!!!!!!!Karen

  • kcsunflower
    18 years ago

    HI ITS ME AGAIN JUST A DIFFERENT DAY!!!! I FINISHED THE GREEN TOMATO SALSA. I DID HAVE TO IMPROVISE A BIT...HA... CAUSE I DID NOT HAVE THE EXACT INGREDIENTS. I SUBSTITUTED CAYENNE PEPPER FOR BLACK PEPPER, ADDED TUMERIC INSTEAD OF CUMIN, BAY LEAF AND OREGANO, (FRESH) LIME AND LEMON, DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH LIME...HUNGARIAN MED HOT PEPPERS / 2, ONIONS I DID HAVE CURRY POWDER AND SUGAR JUST A HINT OF EACH, AND COOKED IT FAR LONGER THAN THE RECIPE STATED, JUST THE WAY I USUALLY CAN OTHER SALSA, TO THICKEN IT. THE GREEN PEPPERS AND ONIONS I USUALLY WAIT TILL THE LAST 20 MINUTES TO PUT THAT IN. I THEN PROCESS IT IN BOILING WATER BATH WITH TIMER SET FOR 35 MINUTES. IF NO LID IS PUT ON IT USUALLY TAKES THAT L0NG WITH A BIG AMOUNT TO RAPIDLY BOIL FOR 20 MINUTES. I USED MY 12 QT. STOCK PAN PLUM TO THE TOP WITH GREEN TOMATOES CHOPPED TO COOK ALL INGREDIENTS THEN PROCESSED IT IN THE SAME PAN AFTER I WASHED OUT STOCK PAN. HOPEFULLY THIS MAKES SENSE. AGAIN THANKS FOR THE GREEN SALSA RECIPE. MAYBE NEXT YEAR ILL HAVE ALL THE INGREDIENTS EXACTLY..BUT FOR NOW..THIS IS A CLOSE VERSION... ENOUGH TO SUPPLY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS... USED ALL MY CANNING JARS UP THIS YEAR..YUMMY!!KAREN

  • kcsunflower
    18 years ago

    HI ITS ME AGAIN JUST A DIFFERENT DAY!!!! I FINISHED THE GREEN TOMATO SALSA. I DID HAVE TO IMPROVISE A BIT...HA... CAUSE I DID NOT HAVE THE EXACT INGREDIENTS. I SUBSTITUTED CAYENNE PEPPER FOR BLACK PEPPER, ADDED TUMERIC INSTEAD OF CUMIN, BAY LEAF AND OREGANO, (FRESH) LIME AND LEMON, DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH LIME...HUNGARIAN MED HOT PEPPERS / 2, ONIONS I DID HAVE CURRY POWDER AND SUGAR JUST A HINT OF EACH, AND COOKED IT FAR LONGER THAN THE RECIPE STATED, JUST THE WAY I USUALLY CAN OTHER SALSA, TO THICKEN IT. THE GREEN PEPPERS AND ONIONS I USUALLY WAIT TILL THE LAST 20 MINUTES TO PUT THAT IN. I THEN PROCESS IT IN BOILING WATER BATH WITH TIMER SET FOR 35 MINUTES. IF NO LID IS PUT ON IT USUALLY TAKES THAT L0NG WITH A BIG AMOUNT TO RAPIDLY BOIL FOR 20 MINUTES. I USED MY 12 QT. STOCK PAN PLUM TO THE TOP WITH GREEN TOMATOES CHOPPED TO COOK ALL INGREDIENTS THEN PROCESSED IT IN THE SAME PAN AFTER I WASHED OUT STOCK PAN. HOPEFULLY THIS MAKES SENSE. AGAIN THANKS FOR THE GREEN SALSA RECIPE. MAYBE NEXT YEAR ILL HAVE ALL THE INGREDIENTS EXACTLY..BUT FOR NOW..THIS IS A CLOSE VERSION... ENOUGH TO SUPPLY FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS... USED ALL MY CANNING JARS UP THIS YEAR..YUMMY!!KAREN

  • wdent803
    18 years ago

    I have a few questions about this recipe.

    How spicy is it?
    Can I tone it down with green peppers for some of the green chillies

  • wdent803
    18 years ago

    I forgot one more question.

    Can I use canned green chillies instead of fresh and if so should I cook in the same manner

  • annie1992
    18 years ago

    wdent, absolutely you can replace some jalapenos with green peppers, I "toned it down" myself cuz' I'm a wuss.

    I've not tried the canned green chilies but I think I'd cook it just the same because you'll still have the other raw ingredients in there. You might add the canned chilies at the very end of the cooking process.

    Annie

  • ksrogers
    18 years ago

    Tumeric offers very little flavor. Its used mostly for its bright yellow color and is what makes Indian curry so yellow. Cumin has a very definate taste. I prefer to buy whole spices and grind them fresh in a very small coffee grinder when I need spices. You need a larger pot! My biggest hre holds about 5 gallons of stuff and my biggest stainless steel mixing bowls are almost 30 inches in diameter. As to the heat process, I always have my canner ready and heated before its filled with the jars. If I want a thicker product, I find that if I add dried peppers and/or onions, it will help absorb a lot of the excess liquid.

  • mitchellhargrave
    17 years ago

    Salsa Lovers,

    Flat Iron Meats out of Hutchinson Kansas is offering 100 jars of FREE GREEN SALSA- no charge for shipping. It's great salsa, so you'd better hurry.
    Check it out at www.flatironmeats.com

    Here is a link that might be useful: Flat Iron Meats

  • gardengalrn
    17 years ago

    Thanks for the link, Mitchellhargrave. I ordered some to see if I like it. Lori

  • breasley
    17 years ago

    That recipe is the one I've used also but it needs some tweeking. I like to use fire roasted green chile's (fresh is best but frozen works well also). Using canned green chile's just doesn't cut it for me. The fire roasted chile's takes this recipe to another level. I also like to throw in some gently cut up cilantro after all the blending is done. If you blend the cilantro it overpowers everything.

  • harriedgrower
    16 years ago

    Hi, Thanks for all this information, I had a gust of wind blow over 2 big potted tomato plants yesterday, and gathered 5 lbs of beautiful hard green tomatoes that got jarred off the plants in the tumble.

    I didn't have any fresh chiles and didnt want to go to the store, but did have canned Jalepenos in Escabeche (pickled) so I though "why not?....

    The recipe is adjusted from another I found on the web, there are a lot of warnings that you have to be careful if you tweak salsa recipes, but this still falls within all the guidelines for proportions and safety.

    The colors are amazing, the light green tomatoes, the slighly dusty green jalepenos, and the confetti of dark green from the fresh chives. I just got 5 pints out of the canner bath, and they are gorgeous. This passed the taste test too!....light and fresh at first bite with some deeper heat that comes on slowly....
    This made a nice thick salsa and kept texture. Perfect for a chip, cooking, or in awesome guacamole! Enjoy -- and thanks to the posters on this board for the inspiration.

    Green Tomato Confetti Salsa

    Yield 5 pints (plus half a cup for tasting!)

    10 cups chopped green tomatoes (approx 5 lb)

    2 Large Cans Jalepeno in Escabeche (approx 2-3 cups prepared)

    4 Large chopped Onions (about 1 lb)

    1 Cup finely chopped fresh Chives

    1 Cup Bottled Lemon Juice + 1/4 cup White Vinegar

    1 Tablespoon Salt

    1/2- 1 teaspoon dried chipotle powder (or more to taste)

    Optional - 2 teaspoons Sugar (I think it brings something out in the tomatoes, but purists may frown)

    Chop tomatoes and onions. Stem, split, seed, and chop jalepenos (discard liquid and other vegetables in jalepeno can). Wash and dry chives and chop finely. Place all ingredients together, stir gently to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes.

    Use accepted procedures to pack salsa into pre sterilized jars (I added an extra squeeze of lemon juice as needed to even out the filled jars) Process in boiling water canner for 15 min.

    Notes: I used a food processor, I processed 3/4 of each ingredient quantity to fairly medium/fine chop, and 1/4 in a batch left in larger (smaller than dice) chunks, to provide more interest in the finished salsa. I also added the larger pieces 5 minutes into the cooking time. Stir in the chives at the last minute before removing from heat.
    Consider canning some half pints for gifts, I will be making this again at the end of the tomato season, and it will look (and taste) incredible as holiday gift with a nice label and red bow!

    It's great when a minor garden disaster can turn into a culinary surprise!
    Best to you all......Harried!

  • missdixielee
    16 years ago

    I have a recipe that I made up one year....I never measure when I cook so I'll give you the ingredients and you all can make it to your taste..
    Quarter your onions and green tomatoes, place in large bowl, add garlic cloves (whole is fine) juice from 2-4 limes depending on how you like, cilantro, salt, peppers (I use jalapenio,anaheim,green, red, yellow all and whatever I can get my hands on. drizzle olive oil all over and toss to coat, Spread out on a baking sheet and roast in a 250 degree oven for approx 3 hours then place in food processor and chop to desired consistency. this has the most wonderful flavor. put into jars and cold-pack for 20 min. enjoy!!

  • bristlingacres
    16 years ago

    Dang it, dang it, dang it! I didn't realize I didn't need to blanch and peel the green tomatoes first when I made the green tomato salsa. What about for piccalilli? I peeled the green tomatoes for that too. What a pain in the you-know-what.
    Astrid

  • mellyofthesouth
    16 years ago

    I don't ever peel green tomatoes.

  • Linda_Lou
    16 years ago

    Tomatoes are peeled because that is where most of the bacteria is. However, it is not required in tomatoes. The only things you really do have to peel are root crops, like potatoes, carrots, and beets.
    I peel my tomatoes because to me the peels taste like bits of paper in the food.
    While your recipe must taste good, missdixielee, it is not safe to make up your own recipe and can it. If you don't get the acid level right you can get botulism from it. Especially with the oil. Oil is not added to very many recipes and adding when not called for is not safe. It coats the particles of food and allows botulism spores to survive, both in boiling water bath and pressure canning.

  • valereee
    15 years ago

    Re: peeling or not peeling green tomatoes. I've got a recipe for dilled green tomatoes that calls for quartering them, packing them, and pouring hot vinegar into the jars. Won't the hot vinegar and then the BWB cause the peels to separate from the tomatoes inside the jar? I'd prefer not to peel them, but if I'm going to end up with a bunch of jars of tomatoes floating around with their peels half off, maybe I should?

  • ksrogers
    15 years ago

    Peeling green tomatoes is not easy. They are usually much softer skinned compared to the ripe red. Tomatillos (husk tomatoes) are also really good in salsa too. The green toms tend to hold onto their skins.

  • readinglady
    15 years ago

    Don't worry about it. As Ken said, peels don't separate from green tomatoes when pickled.

    Carol

  • leah_momof3
    15 years ago

    No mention of cilantro, I have bunches ready to pick. Will adding..say a half cup to Annies recipe change the acidity/safety? I dont see how it would but am curious why no one mentioned what I feel is such an integral part of a salsa recipe.
    I live in Montana and most!!! of my tomatoes wont have time to ripen so this recipe sounds terrific!
    (and Ive never canned before in my life)

  • valereee
    15 years ago

    I'm going to try the green tomato salsa! Yum, on using tomatilloes -- can I just sub tomatilloes for tomatoes?

    Wow, a CUP of lime juice! The cup of lime isn't overwhelming?

    Leah, generally you can't add fresh herbs to a recipe you're going to can, only dried. It does change the acidity. But you can add chopped fresh cilantro after you've opened the jar before serving.

  • tannabanana
    15 years ago

    Hey there! I'd like to make the first green salsa recipe only I'm out of pint jars, so I'll have to use quarts. I'm not in the high altitude range, so how long should I process for quarts?

    Thanks In Advance!

  • dgkritch
    15 years ago

    The recipe is not approved for canning in quarts. It hasn't been tested so no way to know how long to process to be safe.
    I would suggest getting more pint jars or freezing instead.

    Deanna

  • ksrogers
    15 years ago

    Not to be too daring, my salsa is canned in all quarts, but is quite acidic, and mild. I use a lot of dried peppers, onions, and garlic in it as well as apple cider vinegar, citric, and lime juice. The last batch I made was 4 years ago, and last week I just started to use some. Its still quite good, with litte loss of flavor or color. Also still a bit chunky too

  • jvnheavner
    15 years ago

    I just made this and it is absolutely wonderful! Instead of the oregano I put fresh cilantro. I tripled the recipe and it made about 10 pints.

    I added more fresh garlic than what is called for AND I added about 1/2 cup granulated in there- maybe it's the Italian genes but I always have to have much more than required, lol.

    I also added about a tbsp of, shhh!, chicken boullin to counteract the extra tart from putting in an extra 1/2 cup of lemon juice. You can't taste it, but it balances it all out.

    Awesome, I know my family and friends will love this!

  • kln2u2
    15 years ago

    I just stumbled onto this forum. I live in Texas and I have no clue what Zone I am in. I am a new canner and just about an hour ago canned some pickled green tomatoes.(2 qts) I am worried now because the recipie I used did not call for adding lime or lemon. Just vinegar of a 5% acidity.

    I don't know if I should toss out what I made for fear of Botulism or not. I sure don't want to make my husband or self sick!

  • digdirt2
    15 years ago

    Hi kln2u2 - unlike salsa, you made a pickled product. Vinegar, used in pickling, also acidifies and the lemon juice is used in tomato recipes that don't use vinegar.

    So, assuming you used a tested and approved recipe for pickled green tomatoes, your jars are likely fine. You can either post the recipe you used for review or compare it with the approved one linked below to make sure.

    Dave

    Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP - Pickled Green Tomatoes Recipe

  • ksrogers
    15 years ago

    The site link below will show you what planting zone you are in. As to vinegar added, if its more than 70% of the total liquid (water and vinegar) it should be safe enough . Tomatoes do have acid in them. The reason its added to red ripe tomatoes is to insure that they have enough acidity. Citric acid is also used as it doesn't impart any lemon flavor in a tomato sauce.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Planting zone chart

  • gmamiller
    13 years ago

    Hi, I just made the geen tomato salsa from here and was wondering if you HAVE to process it in a water bath or if I can just put it in a bowl and refridge it. Thank you.

  • berrybusy
    10 years ago

    Annie's Green Salsa with lime = a favorite!