Recipe: Tomato Vegetable Juice Blend (canning recipe)

TOMATO AND VEGETABLE JUICE BLEND

QUANTITY:
An average of 22 pounds of tomatoes is needed per canner load of 7 quarts. Not more than 3 cups of other vegetables may be added for each 22 pounds of tomatoes.

PROCEDURE:
Crush and simmer tomatoes as for making tomato juice.

Add no more than 3 cups of any combination of finely chopped celery, onions, carrots, and peppers for each 22 pounds for tomatoes. Simmer mixture 20 minutes.

Press hot cooked tomatoes and vegetables through a sieve or food mill to remove skins and seeds. Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to jars. (See acidification directions*) Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired.

Reheat tomato-vegetable juice blend to boiling and fill immediately into jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process.

Recommended process time for TOMATO-VEGETABLE BLEND in a boiling-water canner pints 35 min. quarts 40 min.

*ACIDIFICATION DIRECTIONS:
To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed, or juiced tomatoes, add 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling with a product. Add sugar to offset acid taste, if desired. Four tablespoons of a 5 percent acidity vinegar per quart may be used instead of lemon juice or citric acid. However, vinegar may cause undesirable flavor changes.