Hey don't worry about posting questions! That's great.

The increased number of jars happens as the # on the recipe is just a guide and while your 17 vs. 12 is a big gap (2-3 jars extra is ok but 5 jars is a bit much) it is probably due to extra juicy tomatoes unless you know for sure that you added extra vinegar as that is the only other liquid in the recipe. So with extra juicy tomatoes you would have a lot more liquid to deal with.

I'd guess you could have put more solids in the jars and less liquid - having liquid left over is fairly normal - but can't say for sure without seeing them. In other words you could have reduced the # of jars by decreasing the ratio between liquids and solids. Sometimes it takes experience with a particular recipe to determine the right balance between liquids and solids. Just make a note in the margin for next time.

Since with salsa it is safer to be too soupy than too dry it is still safe. You just drain off the extra liquid after you open the jars. OK?

Dave

That makes sense, and that's reassuring. I was thinking 5 extra was maybe unsafe somehow.

Yes, the tomatoes were very juicy (Kellogg's breakfast, Cherokee purple, mortgage lifter, etc.) and not paste tomatoes.

I really appreciate you taking time to answer (all) my questions. Novice canner with a new cookbook, lots of jars, a very large veg garden, and I'm on summer vacation right now...

Thanks, Dave!

I made the NCHFP recipe for Tomatillo Salsa Verde on Saturday. Recipe says it makes about 5 pints but I barely got 4 pints out of it. Didn't even have any left over to sample :(