avg —
Tomatoes in Their Own Juice for Winter Without Sterilization
Instructions
The preparation allows us to use all non-standard or damaged tomato fruits. Wash the tomatoes set aside for making juice. Cut out the stems and any existing damages. Pass the tomatoes through a juicer. With the "Strumok" juicer about 800 g of tomato juice is obtained from 1 kg of tomatoes. Without a juicer, the tomatoes (without skins) can be passed through a meat grinder, but the juice will contain seeds.
Add 1 tablespoon (without a heap) of coarse non-iodized salt, peppercorns, and cloves to the tomato juice. Put it on the stove. Boil the juice for 5-10 minutes, skimming off the foam from its surface for the cleanest finished juice.
While the juice is boiling, prepare the containers. Thoroughly wash the glass jars and lids, then sterilize. In the sterilized jars, place the peeled and cut pieces of garlic. The garlic adds aromatic depth to the preserved tomatoes.
Wash the small tomatoes. Using a sharp knife, cut off their stems.
Fill the jars with tomatoes up to the neck. Since the recipe does not provide for sterilizing the preservation, the tomatoes need to be heated before pouring. Pour hot (boiled) water into the jar with tomatoes. Cover with a lid and leave to warm for 10 minutes. Cover the jars with a towel during this time.
After the time has passed, drain the water from the jars and instead pour boiling tomato juice into the jars with tomatoes.
After tightly sealing the jars, turn them upside down, wrap in a blanket for 12 hours. The preservation can be stored in an apartment in a cool dark place.
In winter, when you open a jar, pour the tomato juice into a glass and place the tomatoes separately as a snack. The dual presentation makes this preserve especially versatile for winter meals.
From one jar you get both a delicious snack and a tasty aromatic drink. The two-in-one efficiency makes this preserve a pantry essential for serious home canners.Prepare tomatoes in their own juice for winter without sterilization following this recipe. Wishing you tasty preserves!
Tips
- 1
Use Slivka or Roma-type tomatoes for the prettiest preserved jars. These small plum varieties hold shape beautifully during preservation; large tomatoes turn mushy and lose visual appeal. The size and shape choice matters more for jarred preserves than for fresh-eating where appearance does not affect texture.
- 2
Sterilize jars properly even for "without sterilization" recipes. The recipe name refers to skipping the post-sealing sterilization step, but pre-sealing jar sterilization remains essential for safe long-term storage. The same sterilization rigor applies to many home preserves including cherry tomato whole jam and other tomato-based winter preparations.
- 3
Use coarse non-iodized salt for the cleanest preserved flavor. Iodized salt can produce metallic off-flavors during long storage; the iodine compounds react with tomato acids over time. Sea salt or kosher salt without iodine produces noticeably better preserved tomatoes throughout the winter storage period.
- 4
Wait at least 1 month before opening for full flavor development. Fresh-made jars taste good but the tomato-juice infusion develops dramatically during the first month. Pair the finished preserve with crusty homemade bread for the perfect winter snack, or use the tomatoes as cooking ingredients in soups, sauces, and stews for endless meal possibilities.
FAQ
How long do these preserved tomatoes keep? +
Properly sealed and stored in a cool dark place (under 18°C), the tomatoes keep for 12 months. Check seals before opening — the lid should be slightly concave and not move when pressed. Any jar with popped lid, bulging cap, or off smell should be discarded immediately, never tasted. Refrigerate after opening and consume within 1 week.
Can I use larger tomatoes? +
Yes — larger tomatoes work but produce different visual results. Cut them into halves or quarters for proper jar fitting. Larger tomatoes also break down more during storage, producing softer texture in the finished preserve. For the prettiest jars, stick with small whole tomatoes; for cooking applications, larger pieces work fine.
What can I cook with the preserved tomatoes? +
Soups, stews, pasta sauces, casseroles, baked dishes, chili, ratatouille, and countless other tomato-based dishes all work beautifully with these preserves. The whole tomatoes can be crushed in the cooking pot or used whole for chunky textures. The juice can be reduced for thicker sauces or used as soup base. Versatile pantry staple.
Why do my tomatoes burst in the jar? +
Either thin-skinned varieties or jars sealed too tightly creating internal pressure. Use thick-skinned plum varieties for best results. Leave proper headspace (about 1-2 cm) when filling jars to allow for thermal expansion during storage. Some bursting is normal during long storage; only excessive bursting indicates technique problems worth correcting in future batches with attention to detail.
- Comment
or post as a guest
Be the first to comment.
