Home canned tomatoes are often raw packed.
Raw, or cold pack, canning is the simplest method of filling the jars before pressure canning to preserve the food. Pickles, tomatoes and other high acid vegetables can be canned by the boiling water method, but most vegetables and meat must be pressure canned. Both methods allow for raw packing the food into the canning jars.
Instructions
1. Prepare the food to be canned by cutting into 1-inch chunks. This works for both meat and larger vegetables. Peas should be removed from the hull and corn should be cut from the cob.
2. Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil. Place the canning lids into a smaller saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Turn the small saucepan off as soon as it begins to boil and let the water cool while you fill the jars.
3. Insert a canning funnel into the top of the first jar. Fill the jar to within 1- inch of the top of the jar. Fill the remaining jars. Pack food tightly into the jar, unless the food will swell during the canning process. Foods that swell include corn, beans and peas.
4. Ladle boiling water into the jars to within 1-inch of the top.
5. Wipe the rim of the jars with clean paper towels to remove any debris that could keep the jars from sealing properly.
6. Place a lid on each jar and secure in place with a canning ring. Screw each canning ring to just "hand-tight;" do not over tighten the rings.
7. Place the jars in the canner and process according to the recipe. Timing for the jars begins when the pressure canner has reached the specific pressure called for in the recipe. Begin timing boiling water bath canning when the water comes to a rolling boil.
8. Remove the jars from a water bath canner using tongs at the end of the specified time. Allow the pressure in a pressure canner to exhaust before attempting to open the lid and remove the jars using tongs.
Tags: boiling water, bring boil, canning ring, jars from, pressure canner, using tongs