Blue Ribbon Salsa

By Jennifer Lair, Illinois State Fair Winner

Tomatoes

Ingredients

12 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored, chopped and drained

3 cups onions, chopped

1 ¼ cups jalapeño peppers, chopped, seed and deveined

4 long Italian hot peppers, chopped, seed and deveined

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

24-ounces tomato paste

2 cups bottled lemon or lime juice

1 Tbsp Mrs. Wages® Pickling & Canning Salt

1 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp ground cumin

2 Tbsp oregano leaves

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Directions

1Prepare jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions for sterilized jars. Keep jars hot.

2Preparing Peppers: The jalapeño peppers and Italian hot peppers do not need to be peeled.

3Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan and heat, stirring frequently, until mixture boils. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4Ladle hot into clean, hot jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace if needed, and wipe rims with a dampened clean paper towel. Adjust lids and process 15 minutes using a boiling water bath method. At altitudes of 1000 feet or higher, increase processing time 1 minute for each 1000 feet of altitude.

5Remove canner from heat, remove lid and let jars sit 5 minutes in canner. Remove jars from canner, set on a clean towel or rack to cool.

6When cool, check seals. Lids should be down in the center or stay down when pressed. Remove rims, label, date and store in a cool, dark, dry place. Unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used within 3 weeks.

Caution: Wear plastic or rubber gloves while handling and cutting hot peppers. If you do not wear gloves, wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before touching your face or eyes.

IMPORTANT: The only change you can safely make in this salsa recipe is to change the amount of spices and herbs. Do not alter the proportions of vegetables to acid and tomatoes because it might make the salsa unsafe. Do not substitute vinegar for the lemon juice.

Recipe Source: http://nchfp.uga.edu/publications/uga/sensational_salsa.pdf

Mrs. Wages Safety notes:
For canning safety, always consider your local altitude when calculating accurate processing times. Read this USDA guide for proper food safety and canning processing guidelines or consult the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s Guide 1 Principles of Home Canning. Also, prepare and process home canning jars and lids according to manufacturer’s instructions for sterilized jars. Keep jars hot.

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