Oh, mercy, I don't really have any idea how to make tomatoes less sweet. I think I'd probably start by replacing some or all of the vinegar with lemon or lime juice, as citrus juice is even more acidic than vinegar. It's going to change the flavor, of course, but it appears that a change is what you're after.

Good luck, and happy canning.

Annie

Thank you Annie!

Since the added citrus is to lessen the sweetness, is it ok to use fresh citrus - the juice of an actual lime or lemon?

"is it ok to use fresh citrus - the juice of an actual lime or lemon?"

Only if it is an addition to the full amount of vinegar called for. If you use lemon/lime to replace some of the vinegar then it needs to be bottled. Bottled juice has a stabilized pH, fresh does not and ranges greatly.

Like Annie, adding the lemon/lime is the only way I can think of to make something "less sweet" but the real problem is taste buds. Your son may just have more sweet buds than salty ones as we all do when young. He could try adding more salt to a sample of it after opening the jar to see if that makes it more palatable to him.

Dave

Ah, I wish he was still young. He's 31 now and I can't believe it!

Yes, it would be in addition to the vinegar in the recipe which has already been added. And I am using 7% red wine vinegar.

Cindy

31? Ahhh he is still a baby! ;-)

Red wine vinegar is sweeter than white or even cider. You might try it with one of those.

Dave

Hey, home made salsa with vine ripe tomatoes does taste sweeter than the store bought stuff, where any old nasty tomato probably goes into it. Next year maybe try growing a different variety of tomato. I have consistent results with roma tomatoes, tasting more like "store bought" although they are a PITA to grow.

Unfortunately, I have no luck with Roma tomatoes. After many attempts, I have moved on.

However, I do have a lot of luck with Wessel's Purple Pride. Small seed locules and very meaty! Plants are prolific, too. Love cooking with them.

The purple and the pink varieties of tomatoes are always noted as being sweeter than the reds. They have the highest measurable brix - sweetness. It is the nature of that color family and why many will only grow those colors since they prefer the sweeter ones.

Dave

Annie-

You will love Wessel's! I was hooked the first year I grew it and have been growing it every year since. This year I have four plants and on one day this season I picked twenty-two ripe tomatoes from one plant! I also work with a chef and he loves them, too.

https://www.google.com/search?q=wessel%27s+purple+pride&espv=2&biw=1181&bih=591&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwipsqKK4YTPAhVMlx4KHXVbCusQ_AUICCgD#imgrc=4qxSuAEVauDa4M%3A

Cindy

Maybe he would like it better if you added hotter peppers?