Recipe and water bath or steam canning instructions for Pickled Cherry Tomatoes. This recipe is from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving 38th Edition on page 95. It can be used for cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes.
Clean jars and lids with warm soapy water. Ensure the jars do not have any chips or bubbles in the glass.
Wash tomatoes under cold running water and drain. Prick each tomato with a thin metal skewer to help prevent the peels from bursting open when processing. Pricking tomatoes will not prevent the peels from cracking.
Peel Garlic
Prepare your cannerUsing Water Bath Canner:Put your water bath canner on your stove. Add your canning rack to the water bath canner. Add your pint jars to the water bath canner. They will warm as you heat the water. Add enough water to cover jars with at least 2-3 inches of water. Start to bring your water to a boil.Using a Steam Canner:Put your steam canner on your stove. Add the steam canner rack to the bottom of the steam canner. Add the recommended amount of water to the steam canner according to the manufacturer. Add your pint jars to the steam canner. Put the lid on your steam canner and start your stove. The jars will warm as you heat your steam canner.
Combine salt, white wine vinegar, white vinegar, and water in a large pot. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer (180°F). Simmer for 10 minutes.
Once you have hot jars and hot pickling brine Water Bath Canner:Remove your jars from the water bath canner one at a time using your jar lifter. Dump the water out of the jar into your water bath canner to ensure there is still 2-3 inches of water above your jars.Steam Canner:Remove the steam canner lid and remove your jars one at a time using your jar lifter.
Pack cherry tomatoes into a hot jar, leaving 1/2 inch (1 cm) headspace. Add 1 clove of garlic and one sprig of fresh rosemary to the pint jar.
Add 1/8 tsp Ball Pickle Crisp to the pint jar, if desired.
Ladle hot pickling brine over the cherry tomatoes, leaving 1/2 inch (1 cm) headspace. Use your headspace measurer to verify space. Remove any air bubbles with your de-bubbler and adjust the headspace, if necessary, by adding more pickling brine.
Wipe the rim of the jar to ensure a good seal is made with the lid. Center the lid on the jar and add the band to fingertip tight. Put the jar back into the canner using your jar lifter.
Repeat until all jars are filled.
ProcessingWater Bath Canner:Lower the water bath canner rack into the boiling water. Ensure your jars are covered by at least 2 inches of water.If your water is not boiling start your processing time when the water is boiling. Process pint jars for 10 minutes. Make sure to adjust your time for altitude.Set a timer, it makes it much easier to make sure you process for the correct time. When your timer goes off turn off the heat and remove the canner lid.Leave the jars in the water for 5 minutes.Steam Canner:Put the lid on the steam canner. Turn your stove on high until your steam canner water comes to a vigorous boil. Continue heating so the indicator is in the correct "Zone" per your altitude. Start your processing time when the needle reaches the maximum point you have tested your steam canner to reach in your "Zone".Adjust the burner so that it maintains an even rolling boil throughout the entire processing time. Usually, this will be much lower than where it was set for the vigorous boil. If the top lid is lifting and/or spitting water from the edges this is an indication that you have the heat turned up too high. Slowly reduce the heat until this stops. Watch the indicator to ensure the temperature does not decrease.The processing times for steam canning are the same as for water bath canning. Process pint jars for 10 minutes.Make sure to adjust your time for altitude. Set a timer, it makes it much easier to make sure you process for the correct time.When your timer goes off turn off the heat and let the canner stand for 5 minutes with the lid on before removing the jars. The lid MUST remain ON the canner during this time. This cool-down period is necessary to ensure the jar contents are properly processed.Carefully remove the lid by tilting it away from you to avoid steam burns.
Using your jar lifer carefully move the jars onto a wire rack or kitchen towel to allow them to cool. When moving the jars try not to tilt them to the side as this could affect the seal of the jars. Allow your jars to cool for 12-24 hours before handling.
Once cool, remove the canning rings from the jars. Wash your jars off to ensure no food residue is on the outside of the jar from processing. Label your jar with the name of the recipe and date. This will help you remember what recipe you used to can and the date will allow you to use the oldest canned goods first.
Notes
Recipe and water bath or steam canning instructions for Pickled Cherry Tomatoes. This recipe is from the Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving 38th Edition on page 95. It can be used for cherry tomatoes and grape tomatoes.