No, sorry. If you substitute lemon juice for vinegar, it has to be same amount. And remember, it must be bottled lemon juice, not fresh. Some actually prefer the tangier flavor of the increased vinegar; others prefer at least part bottled lemon juice or lime juice.

Be sure to remind your students that they are not to increase the total amounts of low-acid veggies. For safety they need to stick within the amounts provided, not go crazy increasing onion, peppers, etc. If they like their salsa hotter, they could reduce the bell peppers and increase the hot peppers, as long as the total amount remains the same.

There are some other options for switching things around, but best keep it simple. We don't want anyone getting confused and ending up with food poisoning.

Here's a recipe from Ellie Topp. It's called a "salsa" but it falls within the perameters you mention.

Salsa Bruschetta-Style

3 cups chopped peeled Italian plum tomatoes
2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. pickling salt
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
2 green onions, minced
3 tbsp. tomato paste

1. Combine tomatoes, garlic, shallots, basil, vinegar, lemon juice, saltand pepper in a medium non-reactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in green onion, tomato paste and return to a boil.

2. Remove hot jars from canner and ladle salsa into jars to within 1/2" of rim. Process 35 minutes for half-pint and 40 minutes for pint jars.

Makes 3 cups.

Again, remind people. Do NOT increase amounts of some of the ingredients. Ellie Topp's recipes are very carefully calibrated for food safety using a boiling water bath. You could double the recipe or even triple, but you need to keep everything in proportion.

Dried onion powder or other dried herbs, dessicated garlic, dried oregano, etc. are not an issue. You can add those if you wish as long as it's dried, not fresh. If you want to add fresh oregano, again, reduce the amount of basil so that the total remains the same.

If you do a search on this forum for "Ellie Topp" you'll find other recipes of hers, including a basil pasta sauce that's very good.

Good luck on the class. If you get a question you're not sure of, tell people you'll get back to them. That way you have time to come online and post, rather than winging it.

Carol

I can in a hot water bath all the time. I have no desire to use a pressure cooker due to the accidents I have heard of. My mom will also never can again with a pressure cooker due to an accident while canning. I just make sure that I am processing the produce long enough to sterilize/seal it.

I scald the whole tomatoes in boiling water for a minute, peel, pack whole or cut them into pieces and place into washed, sterilized (200F oven for 10 minutes will sterilize jars) jars until 2" from the top of the jar, pour bought tomato juice (from the store) to full 1" from top of jar and process in a hot water bath for 20 minutes.

When processing the jars filled with tomatoes in a hot water bath the 20 minutes is counted from when the warm water in the canner (that you have now placed the jars in) comes to a full boil.

I do not have any recipes adding extra spices except for my homemade spaghetti sauce, salsa, tomato soup and chili sauce.

The difference between salsa and a spaghetti sauce is the sugar. There is no sugar in salsa. I also do not put any hot peppers or seeds of the tomatoes in the spaghetti sauce (I use tomato juice).

I have enjoyed canning many fruits, vegetables and meat for the past 25 plus years and grew up in a family that did so all their lives also.

Brenda

Hi spyfferoni - Teaching others to can safely is a very big responsibility and you are to be admired for taking it on but please do so with great care. Please remember that 1) you can't believe everything you hear or read, the (2) safety comes first and the safe rules for canning have changed drastically over the years, and (3) the only safe recipe is one that has been tested and is followed to the letter.

The "I have always done it this way and I'm still alive" or "I heard it is ok to..." claims can be quite hazardous for others and isn't the kind of info a responsible teacher wants to be passing on to those just learning the process.

Pamphlets and print-outs on safe canning process are available from many sources: the Ball Blue Book, National Center for Home Food Preservation, the USDA, etc. and I strongly encourage you to begin your class with an in-depth review of those safety procedures. You can even print out copies from NCHFP right on your computer to pass out.

You'll find many in the class who won't even know what a BWB is much less how it differs from a pressure canner and so as Carol said, "If you get a question you're not sure of, tell people you'll get back to them. That way you have time to come online and post, rather than winging it."

Very good advice. ;) Good luck.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: NCHFP

Thank you all for your advice. I do have the Ball Blue Book which I plan to take, and I do plan on talking about safe canning and how important it is to follow a recipe from a reliable source and low acid/high acid foods. Our home extension office is not too far away and they have a lot of material for canning that I have purchased in the past for only the cost of copying. I also got my Ball Blue Book there for only $5. Sometimes they have refrigerator magnets with their phone number, so I'll go and check on that this week---I need to go there anyway to get a Fair book. I am at a high altitude, so I also need to remember to talk about that. I taught a class on freezer jam a couple of years ago, but this will be a lot more complicated! I grew up helping my Mom can, but it is different doing it on my own. It is very rewarding to see the finished product and know you did it, and that your family enjoys it, especially when most of the ingredients came from the garden.

Thank you,
Tyffanie

"I just make sure that I am processing the produce long enough to sterilize/seal it."

Just a reminder that in dealing with any low-acid product, boiling water bath will never reach temperatures sufficient to kill botulism spores. Boiling water bath just creates a nice anaerobic environment for the spores to multiply.

It's fine to avoid using pressure canners, as long as you accept it severely limits what you can safely process.

Personally, I've never heard of an accident with a pressure canner or pressure cooker. I think it might be more possible with pressure cookers where food might foam and clog the vent but pressure canners and cookers today have all sorts of safety mechanisms.

However it is true that post WWII and into the 50's there were many manufacturers transitioning from wartime production to the domestic market. They flooded the market with inferior pressure canners (some 85 different brands). Most of the stories of explosions come from this period. It instilled a fear that has no connection with the canners currently marketed. It is, however, a good reason not to buy "vintage" on ebay.

Pressure canners can be intimidating, especially if no one in your circle has experience with them. On the other hand, we get into cars every day, when the odds of a life-threatening accident are exponentially higher.

Carol

A friend of mine got badly scalded (second degree burns over her chest - she went into shock) by a pressure cooker so I have no trouble believing people who are afraid of them. Perfectly OK to hot water bath tomatoes but necessary to add citric acid or lemon juice (I prefer the acid as it doesn't affect flavor). Follow current direction in Blue Book.
Exercise caution when adding spices to a canned product -sometimes the canning process changes the flavor. I add a pinch of hot pepper to my tomato juice and have topped each jar of canned tomatoes with a basil leaf before sealing and processing.
I would never hot water bath a low acid food. I've lived to a very advanced age by not being stupid!

I can definitely understand the danger of scalding. I hope your friend recovered fully. Even with a boiling water bath I make myself remember to lift the lid away from myself.

Carol

Okay, so dried is okay, but fresh is low acid? So could I can tomatoes w/ a pinch of basil and pepper and a tsp of dried onions?

Tyffanie

I don't see why not.

For a tested basil pasta sauce recipe with fresh herbs take a look at this one by Ellie Topp:

Here is a link that might be useful: Chunky Basil Pasta Sauce

I was going to suggest the Chunky Basil Pasta Sauce too and it is so good!

Michelle

For canning salsa I would recommend you substitute some lime juice for some of the vinegar instead of lemon, the flavor goes a little better with salsa. And although one isn't supposed to substitute fresh for bottled lemon/lime juice, since lemon or lime juice is a bit more acidic than vinegar, in this case I can't see why you couldn't substitute fresh juice for vinegar in equal amounts quite safely.

Regarding spaghetti sauces with other ingredients besides tomatoes, does anybody know a safe one that has zucchini in it? I know their pH is from 5.8 - 6.1, which is less acidic than onions (pH 5.3 - 5.8) or peppers (pH 5.15.)

Marcia

Yes, Ellie Topp has a recipe; I've made this (sans cinnamon) and thought it was quite good. I like the way it incorporates all kinds of veggies.

Multi-Use Tomato Sauce

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
10 plum tomatoes -- (about 2 1/2 lbs./1 kg)
10 large tomatoes -- peeled and chopped (about 4 lbs./2 kg)
4 large garlic cloves -- minced
2 large stalks celery -- chopped
2 medium carrots -- chopped
1 large onion -- chopped
1 large zucchini -- chopped
1 large sweet green pepper -- chopped
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes -- (125 mL)
2/3 cup dry red wine -- (150 mL)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar (5% strength or more) -- (125 mL)
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon pickling salt -- (15 mL)
2 teaspoons dried oregano -- (10 mL)
2 teaspoons dried basil -- (10 mL)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar -- (5 mL) (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon -- (2 mL) (optional)
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper -- (2 mL)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley -- (50 mL)

Combine tomatoes, celery, garlic, onion, zucchini and green pepper in a very large non-reactive pan. Add 1 cup (250 mL) water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, covered, for 25 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken, stirring occasionally.

Soak sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water until softened. Drain and dice. Add to sauce with wine, vinegar, bay leaves, salt, oregano, basil, sugar, cinamon and pepper. Continue to boil gently until desired consistency, stirring frequently. Discard bay leaves and stir in parsley.

Remove hot jars from canner and ladle sauce into jars to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of rim (head space). Process in a BWB 35 minutes for pint (500 mL) jars and 40 minutes for quart (1 L) jars.

Description: from Ellie Topp & Margaret Howard's "Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving""

Yield: "12 cups"

Thanks for the recipes!

Tyffanie

Please help. I cant seem to find the answer anywhere...Can I add citric acid to the salsa recipe as it cooks instead of directly to the jars? I am not convinced that it wouldnt change the flavor of the recipe, or rather, how does it get mixed in if it is in the bottom of the jars? I know I might have to measure out the finished salsa, but that might be worth it, as my hubby likes the flavor of the salsa I make, and I would not want it to change because I canned it. Any help would be appreciated

Thanks
Jodie