Fabulous Home Canned Salsa

It's home canning season again at my house.  This time of year is one of my busiest.  Between the peaches, pears, tomatoes, green beans and carrots I hardly have time to do much of anything.  By the time I'm done, I'll have put up over 300 quarts.  I love it!  It's good news for our winter food supply!

I figured that since I was canning so much, I'd share a recipe or two.  This is my Fabulous Home Canned Salsa. I've spent years looking for a great salsa recipe.  Literally years!  I've tried at least a dozen different recipes, but none of them have hit the spot.  Some are sweet and others too vinegary.  Needless to say, I was overjoyed when I tasted this salsa at one of my hubby's work parties.  It's perfect.  Make it as spicy as you want, or mild enough for your little one, or somewhere in the middle.  Your entire family will love it!

**This recipe didn't come from an approved canning cookbook, so I called our local extension agent and verified that the recipe followed the approved home canning guidelines.  The only requirements are that the amount of peppers and onions used in a canned salsa recipe not exceed the amount of tomatoes.  In this recipe you shouldn't use more than 7 quarts of peppers and onions since there are 7 quarts of tomatoes.  Play around with the spices all you want though, it won't hurt a thing.**

Fabulous Home Canned Salsa
Makes 9 quarts or 18 pints

7 quarts of tomatoes, peeled and diced
1/2 cup vinegar
2 cups Anaheim chili peppers, chopped
4-5 green peppers, chopped
4-7 jalapeno peppers, chopped (for mild salsa remove the seeds and membranes)
1 (7 oz.) can El Pato Hot Mexican tomato sauce (the yellow can available in the Latin section of the grocery store)
4-5 onions, chopped
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
6 Tbs. salt
1 Tbs. garlic powder
1 Tbs. cumin
1 Tbs. oregano
2-3 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste  (You won't need this if you use half paste tomatoes)

Place the prepared tomatoes into a large pot.  I used a 12 quart stock pot and it barely fit.  Seed the peppers/chilies, chop them up (I used my food processor and had everything chopped in less than 10 minutes) and add to the tomatoes.  Add the remaining ingredients, except the tomato paste and simmer for 30 minutes.  If your salsa is not as thick as you'd like, add the tomato paste until it reaches the desired consistency.  Place in hot jars and adjust the lids and rings.  Process in a boiling water bath for 45 minutes for quarts and 30 minutes for pints.  That processing time is for an altitude of 4,000 feet.  Be sure to check the proper time for your altitude.

Source:  Amy L.