Canning tomatoes is pretty straight forward.... skin, jar, liquid, salt if you want, citric acid and BWB.... fresh from the garden IMO IS the improvement on any commercially canned product...

The instructions closest to the ones you buy in cans is the instructions for Tomatoes Packed in Water and follow the hot pack instructions. That is how they are canned commercially. Less smashed/collapsed fruit and MUCH shorter processing time so they retain better shape and texture. Just be sure to not over-pack the jars and get all the air bubbles out.

But yeah if you switch to pressure canning them you cut the processing time in the canner by 2/3.

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_03/tomato_water_pack.html

Dave

Thanks! Does water pack dilute the flavor compare to juice pack? Pressure canner is a definite now as I don't want to heat up the house for the hour + processing time of the BWB method.

It may slightly but you don't usually need to add that much water to begin with. It can be drained off after you open the jars. Worth it IMO simply for the shorter processing time and the much less squashed fruit. Paste tomatoes don't really have enough juice of their own anyway which is why commercial packers have to add water - to avoid having to mash them to get enough juice.

Of course if you mix some beefsteak tomatoes in with them then you have to add even less water. ;-)

Dave