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Most salsa recipes are a mixture of low-acid foods, such as onions and peppers, with acid foods, such as tomatoes. Always use tested, science-based home-canning recipes from reliable sources like the National Center for Home Food Preservation or some equipment or home preserving ingredient manufacturers. These recipes were tested to ensure they contain enough acid to be processed safely in a boiling water bath canner.
Do not use overripe or spoiling tomatoes or tomatoes from dead or frost-killed vines. Poor quality tomatoes yield a very poor salsa and may spoil.
Green tomatoes or tomatillos may be substituted for ripe tomatoes. Use only high quality peppers. Do not increase the total amount of peppers in any recipe, although you may substitute one type of pepper for another.
The acid ingredients help preserve salsa. You must add acid to home-canned salsas because the natural acidity will not be high enough. Use vinegar that is at least five percent acidity or use only bottled lemon juice. You may substitute an equal amount of lemon juice for vinegar in recipes that call for vinegar. Do not substitute vinegar for lemon juice in any salsa recipe you home-can. This results in a less acidic and unsafe salsa.
The amount of spices and herbs in salsas may be altered according to taste. If you would like a stronger cilantro flavor, add fresh cilantro just before serving the salsa.
If you have a favorite homemade salsa recipe, the safest way to store this is in the freezer. There likely will be changes in both texture and seasoning when freezing and thawing salsa. Experiment with a small batch the first time for freezing. Many times, herbs and spices are better tasting when added fresh after freezing and thawing, at serving time.
Follow the tested recipe exactly for a safe product. If done improperly, you put yourself at risk for botulism, a potentially fatal food poisoning.
Salsas that are thin can be thickened after opening with cornstarch or flour or tomato paste; never thicken the salsa before canning because you may end up with an unsafe or spoiled product.
For more information, check out National Center for Food Preservation.
Reviewed Bill Schafer, 2008
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