Tomato-Vegetable Juice Blends



Tomatoes are a somewhat acid food.  To make them safe for home
canning ACID MUST BE ADDED. To each quart jar of tomatoes or
tomato juice, 2 Tbsp of lemon juice, or 4 Tbsp of 5% vinegar, or
1/2 tsp of citric acid must be added.  When adding vegetables,
which are low in acid, the instructions must be followed exactly.

You may add less vegetable, but you must not add more vegetable
than the recipe calls for.  You may adjust the spices and
seasonings to your taste, for example more or less pepper, add a
little tabasco, or more sugar.   And, you may vary the kinds of
vegetables as long as you do not add more than three cups total
vegetables to 7 quarts of juice.  For example, you may use 2 cups
of onions and 1 cup of celery, or 1 cup each of green pepper,
onion, and carrots.  But no more than 3 cups total of vegetables
will be safe. 

An average of 22 pounds of tomatoes is needed per canner load of
7 quarts.

Preparation for Canning:

1.   Wash jars by hand or in dishwasher. Rinse well.
2.   Prepare lids according to manufacturer's directions.
3.   Put 2 to 3 inches of water in pressure canner, or 5 to 7
     inches of water in boiling water bath canner. Be sure canner
     has rack.
4.   Start water heating. It should be hot but not boiling when
     the jars go in.

Prepare juice:

1.   Wash tomatoes and vegetables under running water. Trim and
     discard any bruised or discolored sections. 
2.   Chop carrots, onions, celery and green peppers, or your
     preferred combinations. For 7 quarts of juice you may add up
     to 3 cups of chopped vegetables. 
3.   To prevent juice from separating, quickly cut about 1 pound
     of fruit into quarters and put directly into saucepan.  Heat
     immediately to boiling while crushing.  Continue to slowly
     add and crush fresh tomato quarters into the boiling
     mixture.  Make sure the mixture boils constantly while you
     add the remaining tomatoes.
4.   Add the chopped vegetables to the boiling tomatoes.
5.   Add sugar, salt, and spices.  For 7 quarts of juice, a
     mixture of 1/3 C sugar, 1/4 C salt, 1 Tbsp celery seed and
     1/8 tsp cayenne pepper is a good combination. 
6.   Simmer mixture for 20 minutes. 
7.   Press hot mixture through a sieve or food mill to remove
     skins and seeds.
8.   Reheat juice to boiling.

Fill jars:

1.   Add 2 Tbsp lemon juice (or alternatives-see above) to each
     quart jar.
2.   Fill boiling juice into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
3.   Wipe top sealing edge of jar with a clean damp towel.
4.   Adjust 2-piece canning lids. Tighten ring bands using thumb
     and two fingers until just snug, then using whole hand,
     tighten 1/4 turn further. 

Processing:

1.   Place jars on rack in canner so that they do not touch
     sides. 
2.   Add hot water to boiling water bath if necessary to bring
     water 1 inch over tops of jars. 
3.   Cover canner, or lock pressure canner lid into place.
4.   Turn up heat. 
5.   Process:
     Boiling water bath canner: when water reaches full boil,
     begin to count processing time.  Set timer for specified
     time.
     Pressure canner: When steady stream of steam issues from
     vent, set timer and allow to exhaust steam for 10 minutes. 
     After 10 minutes, close petcock or put weighted pressure
     regulator on vent.  When dial gauge reads 11 psig, or when
     weight begins to rock or hiss at manufacturer's stated rate,
     set timer for specified processing time, and gradually
     reduce heat to maintain proper pressure. 
6.   Add water to boiling water canner if necessary to maintain
     proper depth.

  PROCESSING TIMES for canning in Illinois:
  Boiling Water     Pressure Canner (10/11 psig)
  Pints             35 minutes     15 minutes
  Quarts            40 minutes     15 minutes

After processing time is complete:

1.   Remove canner from heat. Allow pressure to drop to zero.
     Wait 3 more minutes. Open canner with lid away from you to
     avoid steam in your face. 
2.   Remove jars from canner. Place upright on rack to cool away
     from drafts.
3.   Do Not Tighten ring bands. They will tighten as they cool.
4.   After 12-24 hrs check seals. Center of lid should be
     depressed and not give when touched. A tap with a spoon
     should give a clear ring.
5.   Remove ring bands, wipe with warm sudsy water, rinse, label
     and store.
6.   Unsealed jars may be reprocessed, or refrigerated.


Prepared by Mary A. Keith, Foods and Nutrition, July, 1991
Revised by M. Susan Brewer, Foods and Nutrition, June, 1992      

 EHE-692