Canning and Preserving Spectacular Salsas
Sauces, relishes or dips that can spice up a meal or snack, salsas are enjoyed for intense flavors and colors. A combination of tomatoes, onions and peppers can add zest to chips.
How To: Home Food Preservation and Canning
Fruit, herbs and the “heat” of onion or pepper spooned across meat or fish perk up the taste buds and create images of an exotic cuisine, reds, oranges, greens and yellows. Peppery sweet, savory, herbal and aromatic salsas are delighted for the senses and make meals lively.
Cooks love to experiment with salsa recipes, and many want to preserve their blue-ribbon combination by canning. Most salsa recipes are a mixture of low-acid foods (such as onions and peppers), with more acidic foods (such as tomatoes).
Sharp flavorings such as vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice are also common additions. The types and amounts of ingredients used in salsa, as well as the preparation method, are important considerations in how a salsa is canned.
Outbreak of botulism poisoning
Improperly preserved salsas or other tomato-pepper combinations have been implicated in more than one outbreak of botulism poisoning.
Some important guidelines are provided below for preparing safe home canned salsas. Recommended tested recipes follow. If your personal favorite is not listed, it is best to eat your creation fresh, store it several days up to one week in the refrigerator (40°F or below), or freeze it for longer storage. Most salsas should retain good quality for up to 1 year in a freezer maintained at 0°F or lower.
