As fall approaches, our gardens are producing tomatoes in the masses. This salsa recipe makes great use of fresh garden tomatoes and bell peppers. Stop by a local farmers market if you do not have a garden. Roseau Marketplace is every Thursday and Saturday from June until the first hard frost. For under $30, you can take home a basket of farm-grown goodness and create a batch of salsa.
This is a recipe for salsa that a Roseau family has passed on for three generations. Besides being delicious, it’s fresh, bright, and chunky.
Canning salsa is a great way to preserve the freshness. Bringing a jar out in the dead of winter is a happy reminder of the harvest season.
SALSA INGREDIENTS
- 10 cups chopped tomatoes (skins can be removed by boiling the tomatoes until the peels loosen or baking at 450 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes)
- 3 cups chopped onion
- 2 cups chopped green bell pepper
- 5 jalapeños, finely chopped, membranes and seeds removed (leave in for extra spice)
- 8 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 Tablespoons Spanish Oregano (optional)
- 2 ½ teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 ½ tablespoons canning salt
- â…“ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- â…“ cup white sugar
- 1 ¼ cups apple cider vinegar
- 16 ounces tomato sauce, NOT optional – necessary for safe canning/proper pH
- 12 ounces tomato paste
Bring to a boil for 20 minutes and turn the heat off. Once cooled, it is ready to eat.
If canning right away, you do not have to cool the salsa. Add directly into sterilized, warm jars and follow the canning instructions for your area if using a pressure cooker. This recipe allows for processing in a steambath for 20-25 minutes, allowing the jars to cool naturally.
Note: Leave 1/2 inch of space at the top of each jar to allow for proper sealing.
Photo Credit: Deb Rudd