The Best Homemade Salsa For Canning

Tip: click step to get into cook mode

9 cups peeled and chopped tomatoes (they must be peeled first, see directions below or tutorial here)

2 ½ cups chopped green bell peppers

2 ½ cups chopped white onion

4 medium jalapeños, chopped (see notes)

8 large cloves garlic, chopped

6 teaspoons canning salt

1 cup white vinegar

1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste

To do this, make an “X” in the bottom of the tomatoes, then place in boiling water for 60 seconds. Then, remove the tomatoes from the water and place directly into a bowl if iced water to shock. The skins should slip right off. (I use my spider to transfer the tomatoes from the boiling water to the ice water without getting splashed.)
Place all of the ingredients in a large pot (you will need a 10qt. saucepan for this batch, or split the ingredients among 2 saucepans) and simmer for 20-30 minutes, until thickened and cooked.
Ladle the cooked salsa into clean, sterile jars leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe rims of jars with a damp, clean, paper towel, then place lids on top. To make filling easy, I highly recommend a wide funnel designed for canning jars.
To do this, bring a large saucepan filled with water to a boil. Your saucepan needs to be tall enough to have the water cover the jars by 2 inches- though the jars will displace some of the water as they are added.
Process for 30 minutes, then remove. I use these tongs to make things easy.
The salsa will remain good in the jar for up to 18 months… if you can keep yourself from eating it all before then!