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Saveur and tomatoes


kpurvis

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In the article "Tomato Crush" in the Sept./October issue, the recipe calls for 20 pounds of tomatoes and one bunch of basil, and then is processed in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Aside from the issue of whether a single bunch of basil is enough for 20 pounds of tomatoes, isn't that recipe missing something, like citric acid? I've always been told that you have to add lemon juice -- preferably bottled, for a more reliable acidity -- to make it safe to can tomatoes in a water bath. Otherwise, you need to pressure-can them.

Are there any experts who can enlighten me on that one?

Kathleen Purvis, food editor, The Charlotte (NC) Observer

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I thought the acidity from most tomatoes didn't pose this problem. :unsure:

I help my Italian mother-in-law every year for selfish reasons,(I have access to the cold cellar) and extra acid has never been used,including this year.

That didn't answer your question I know,but just giving you my experiences. I bunch of basil appears about right,depends I quess on

how much basil per jar you prefer.6 litres for 20 lbs...approx...no?

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From: http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/foods/348-594/348-594.html

****Tomatoes are normally considered to be an acid food. However, some varieties may have pH values above 4.6. Therefore, if tomatoes are to be canned as acid foods, they must be acidified with lemon juice or citric acid. 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 of citric acid.

eGullet member #80.

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Margaret P: the recipe .calls for cooking the tomatoes whole first for 45 - 60 minutes, then puréeing them, and THEN simmering for another 3 hours or so until the purée is reduced by half. Would you still want to add acid, in that case?

My tomato-purée-canning recipes say to process PINT jars for 35 minutes, so I'm more concerned about the brief processing time suggested. Do you think the long cooking of the purée obviates the need for longer processing?

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Suzanne, I just don't know. I have always assumed that tomatoes without onions or peppers could be safely waterbathed. But in the last 5 years or so, I read increasingly about the danger of processing new low acid tomatoes without pressure. I asked a grower at our farmer's market Saturday, but aside from agreeing that yellow and green varieties are low acid, they had no input on safe canning methods, and suggested a netsearch. An alternative is to contact your local state university extension for information. However, unless we have a handle on the precise variety we're dealing with, the answers will either be inconclusive or unnecessarily stringent, erring toward safety.

In your case, and assuming that the information from the Virginia website it correct, I guess you could go to a pharmacy for litmus strips and test your puree before bottling to see if it exceeds the 4.6 pH and needs further acidification.

Further complicating things, I just watched a pop TV chef waterbath a whole spectrum of tomato products: pepperonata, antipasto, whole tomatoes, puree with basil. His casual approach terrifies me. It used to be so simple. :huh:

eGullet member #80.

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I've always been told that you have to add lemon juice -- preferably bottled, for a more reliable acidity -- to make it safe to can tomatoes in a water bath.

Are these are the same people who have outlawed cheese made from unpasteurized milk and told you not to use raw eggs in your aioli?

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I've always been told that you have to add lemon juice -- preferably bottled, for a more reliable acidity -- to make it safe to can tomatoes in a water bath.

Are these are the same people who have outlawed cheese made from unpasteurized milk and told you not to use raw eggs in your aioli?

Ron, I'm all in favor of unpasteurized cheeses and I make mayonnaise with raw eggs at least once each spring, to enjoy with fresh asparagus. But those are philosophical choices I make. I go into them with my eyes open and decide for myself whether I want to take the risk.

However, as a newspaper food editor, it's also my role to give people the information they need to make those choices. In the case of canning, the idea is to preserve food. If I didn't tell people that to do it safely, they need to add acidity to tomatoes, I'd be irresponsible. When we run recipes that involve raw eggs, we add a note to the bottom, to make sure people know.

When I posed the original question, I was checking to see if someone had information that I could learn from. But I was also curious whether anyone else was bothered by that, in an otherwise well-researched magazine.

Kathleen Purvis, food editor, The Charlotte (NC) Observer

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