Preserving Safe Salsa

July 31, 2004 (Updated December, 2007)
Carol Ann Burtness
University of Minnesota Extension Regional Extension Educator, Food Science
E-Mail: burtn002@umn.edu

Americans love salsa! Canning salsa is a fun, easy way to preserve tomatoes for year-round enjoyment.

Tomato-based salsa recipes are usually a mixture of tomatoes, onions, peppers and spices. When canning salsa, use only high-quality tomatoes. Canning is NOT a way to use overripe or damaged tomatoes, or tomatoes from dead or frost-killed vines because these may cause the product to spoil and be unsafe to eat.

The type of tomato you use in your salsa will affect the end result. Italian plum-style or paste tomatoes will produce thicker salsas than slicing tomatoes. If you use slicing tomatoes, you can thicken your salsa by adding tomato paste or by draining off some of the liquid after you chop the tomatoes. Never add flour or cornstarch to salsa before canning because an unsafe product may result.

Peppers add color and heat to salsa recipes. Use high quality peppers, and do not increase the total amount of peppers in any recipe. However, you can substitute one type of pepper for another, or use canned chilies in place of fresh. Hot peppers are usually small and give a hot taste to salsa. The oils in hot peppers can cause burns so it’s a good idea to wear gloves when you cut or dice these peppers and never touch your face, particularly near your eyes.

Mild peppers are usually larger than hot peppers. You can substitute a mild or bell pepper when the recipe calls for long green chilies. Typically, the skin of the long green chilies is removed by heating the peppers. But, if you are finely chopping the peppers, you do not need to remove the skin.

Do not attempt to can a recipe that has not been tested for safety, because food spoilage or a foodborne illness may result. If you are using an untested recipe or like to be creative by adding your own amount of ingredients, freeze the salsa and thaw in the refrigerator before serving.

Adding acid is necessary to safely preserve salsa. Follow recipe directions for adding vinegar or bottle lemon juice to home-canned salsa. Do NOT substitute vinegar for lemon juice unless this substitution is given in the recipe, or an unsafe product may result.

For more information on salsa, check out the University of Minnesota Extension Service Food Safety web site (http://www.extension.umn.edu/foodsafety/) and click on “Food Preservation”.