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Shirls' Salsa

Yields: Averages about 5 pints

Note: In addition to developing a searchable recipe database, another retirement goal was to find the perfect salsa recipe for canning.

The recipe below, from the Pacific Northwest Extension (PNW395) must be a time-honored resource, because it still resides at the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Other good sources are Wisconsin Safe Food Preservation Series (B3570), Ball Blue Book of Canning, and Sunset Home Canning. (Click on Recipes above for online links.) Be sure to consult these sources for more detailed instructions on safely canning food. It is critical to keep the exact proportions of the ingredients for safe canning.

Heat intensity in peppers can be regulated by using more or less hot or bell or sweet peppers, as long as they do not exceed recipe limits.

Spices can be adjusted or added. (Ours is secret. . .)

Most canners only can 7 pints at a time, so there may be some left over for immediate use. We decided we needed about 36 pints of salsa and 12 pints of pickled peppers to get us through the year. That's a lot of tomatoes and peppers!

Yield: about 5 pints 5 lbs tomatoes (the recipe does not differentiate, but I use romas for a firmer consistency)
2 lbs peppers (hot or not)
1 lb onions, chopped
1 cp vinegar
3 t salt
1/2 t pepper

1. Chop peppers and onions and set aside.
2. Prepare a pot with inset for blanching in boiling water and a separate pot for dipping into cold
water. Blanch for 30-60 seconds in boiling water, dip into cold water, slip off skins and
remove cores.
3. Coarsely chop tomatoes. For more chunky salsa, drain liquids from tomatoes before cooking.
4. Combine all ingredients into a large saucepan. Heat to a boil and simmer 10 minutes.
5. Pour into sterilized jars, leaving 1/4" head space, remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims.
Adjust lids and process in boiling water bath -- pints 15 minutes at 0-1000' altitude.