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Is it necessary to cook the salsa for 15 to 20 minutes? I like my salsa with fresh tomatoes. It's been a long time since I canned, but we used to put the peeled, cored tomatoes in a jar, cover with tomato juice and process (boiling water). I don't remember for how long. I guess I'm looking for the minimum cooking needed for an absolutely safe product.
I agree with you. I remember my mother canning tomatoes the way you describe above. I am 55 and I have read a lot of canning advice over the years and the dreaded salmonella and botulism fears. What I go by is the acidity of the tomatoes. If you are using a good old-fashioned red, acid tomato you can get by with the above "fresh" method. My plan is to bring the salsa to a full boil and can it. That will kill the bacteria but still keep the salsa fresher tasting. Unfortunately, there is no way to have the wonder of fresh salsa in a canned product, so I plan on keeping some in the refrigerator. Another thought is to freeze some. That usually tastes a little closer to fresh.
Thanks,
Andrea
