Canning tomatoes

[ORChick]

OK, I know tomato season is months away, but this question is bugging me, and I'd really lke it if one of the experts here could explain it.
I read in the Ball Blue Book (latest edition) that tomatoes canned in their own juice need to be processed for a longer time than do tomatoes canned in water; this holds true whether using HWB or pressure canner. Now, I know I have read somewhere (and some years ago) that when canning tomatoes in juice one should not add any water (that is, lacking enough juice, and making up the difference with water), as it reduces the acidity, and the processing times would be skewed. This makes sense to me, and therefore the BBB instructions do not make sense - tomatoes in juice must be more acid than tomatoes in water (both recipes also include lemon juice), so what is the rational for processing the more acid product for a longer time than the less acid one? Unfortunately, I have looked through all my preserving books, and cannot find the reference.
I'm driving myself nuts with this, checking through all my books. Can anyone give me a good reason for the BBB recommendations? Beyond just "Well, its the BBB, and they are the experts!"

 

[mandieg4]

Maybe because the tomato juice is thicker than water so it takes longer to heat up

 

[moolie]

Maybe because the tomato juice is thicker than water so it takes longer to heat up

Yup, thicker and pulpier than water

 

[ORChick]

Alright, I can see that the juice is marginally thicker than the water, but *45 minutes* thicker? That is the difference in recommended times for water bath canned tomatoes - 40 minutes as opposed to 85 minutes (I think that is for pints, don't have the BBB to hand at the moment). We're talking juice here, not puree. I just don't get it. Maybe I need to contact Ball. I have no problem following directions, but I really like to know the *why* of things, if you know what I mean. Thanks for the input, mandie & moolie.

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day Orchick,Why" can" them? What do you use them for later,Pasta Sauce or what?...........Just wondering.................T.O.R.

 

[tamlynn]

I know why. Because when you bottle tomatoes in their own juice, you smash as many tomatoes into a bottle as possible. You don't put in tomatoes and then pour juice over them. As you are filling the jar with tomatoes, you press them down and they make their own juice. You keep adding more until the jar can't hold any more tomatoes, and the juice is automatically there.

When canning tomatoes in water, you put in the tomatoes, DON'T press them down, then add water. Therefore...much less tomatoes in the jar with water. That's why tomatoes in their own juice process longer- there are more tomatoes in the jar.

 

[Farmfresh]

Alright, I can see that the juice is marginally thicker than the water, but *45 minutes* thicker? That is the difference in recommended times for water bath canned tomatoes - 40 minutes as opposed to 85 minutes (I think that is for pints, don't have the BBB to hand at the moment). We're talking juice here, not puree. I just don't get it. Maybe I need to contact Ball. I have no problem following directions, but I really like to know the *why* of things, if you know what I mean. Thanks for the input, mandie & moolie.

WOW! They are up to that many minutes now! Is that for high altitude? It seems like they add more time each year to cover their butts.

I usually process my tomatoes (whole in their own juice with a shot of lemon juice) for 45 minutes for a quart. (water bath times) I process salsas and other meatless sauces for about the same time. Always have. Not dead yet. Just saying.

 

[JRmom]

I process 45 minutes per quart also, with lemon juice added. I wouldn't bother canning if I had to run the canner for 85 minutes!

 

[mandieg4]

I process 45 minutes per quart also, with lemon juice added. I wouldn't bother canning if I had to run the canner for 85 minutes!

Exactly. I canned over 80 quarts of tomatoes last year and I thought it took forever at 45 minutes each. I would have ended up feeding all the extra tomatoes to the chickens if I had to can them for 85 minutes.

 

[ORChick]

G'day Orchick,Why" can" them? What do you use them for later,Pasta Sauce or what?...........Just wondering.................T.O.R.

When the tomatoes are coming in fast and furious its nice to can some of them up so that they can be used during that long period when they aren't to be had. Supermarket tomatoes are so awful that we only eat tomatoes in their fresh state in the summer, so if I am going to be using tomatoes out of a can anyway they may as well be some that I have put up myself. So, yes, pasta sauce among other things.