Home-canned Fresh Tomatoes by Shelly Knotts

20 lbs. of tomatoes will fill about 7 quart jars
1/2 cup Lemon juice
1 quart tomatoes juice or water
1 water bath canner
1 large pot to scald tomatoes, 1 med. pot to heat juice or water, 1 small pot to sterilize lids
Pint or Quart canning jars
Lids & rings

1. Sterilize jars (dishwasher, boiling water) Get canner filled with water and start heating up. Get the med. pot of water or juice boiling. Put lids into small pot of boiling water for several minutes.
2. Remove tomato skins. Put a few tomatoes at a time in a large pot of boiling water after scoring tomatoes on the bottom with a sharp knife with an X. Leave in boiling water for 30-45 seconds, then plunge into a bowl of ice water. The skin slides right off.
3. After removing skin, cut tomatoes in quarters and remove tough parts around stem.
4. Fill jars with whole or cut tomatoes within 1/4 inch of the top with tomatoes. Make sure the contact surfaces (top of jar and underside of lid & ring) are clean to get a good seal. I wipe off jar with damp cloth.
5. Add 2 Tablespooms lemon juice and hot liquid to 1/2 inch from top.
6. Free any trapped air bubbles. Using a flat utensil, like plastic knife, gently slide it up and down around the inside edge.
7. Put the lids and rings on jars. Screw rings snug, not too tight.
8. Put the jars in the water bath canner. Keep them covered with at least 1 inch of water. Keep the water boiling. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 40 minutes for pint jars and 45 minutes for quart jars.
9. Lift jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them in a draft free place. You could hear a popping sound as the jars cool and seal. Check with your finger on the center of the lid. If it pops up and down, it is not sealed. You may then refrigerate that jar right away and can still use it. Don't worry if you see the tomatoes floating above a layer of liquid. That is normal. Tomatoes have a lot of water in them and it separates a bit.