Started my yearly task of making juice

[ContainerTed]

Worth, for the first time, I'm going to question your math on this one. I can't lift 332 pounds of tomatoes.

One quart of water is approx. 2 pounds. So, 6 quarts of tomato chunks is about 12 pounds.

4 of my bowls full then would be 48 pounds.

I do a water reduction of approx. 35-40% by volume on some but not all batches. So, I might average a reduction of approx. 17 pounds of the 48 and that leaves 31 pounds.

So, 48 pounds of tomato chunks with some kind of loss of the seeds and seed gel could translate to about 55 pounds of whole tomatoes.

So, does that make more sense? 55 pounds of tomatoes yield 12 quarts of juice if reduction is 35-40%.

Now, what I do (in reality) is just eyeball the thickness of the juice in the pot on the stove and when it pleases me, I jar the stuff.

Take care, my friend.

[Worth1]

I'm am sure it is off as I only had one cup of coffee and came up with all sorts of answers.
But you said you were making 100 quarts of tomato juice so that alone would be 200 pounds liquid.

I'm not doing this for no other reason but to sharpen my math skills which are bad.

Worth

[ContainerTed]

You are correct about the totals at the end of the season. I usually make about 100 quarts each season between what I make for myself and for my brother. I keep about a dozen quarts in the fridge out in the garage. With all this heat and humidity lately, it is remarkable how refreshing and good a glass of cold homemade tomato juice can be. It also rejuvenates the potassium and vitamin C we need.

Gotta go. I have 48 jars of seeds fermenting and some are ready to process to the paper plates.

[Runescape]

Awesome bowl, the sauce looks good too.

[isuhunter]

Ted,
How much canning salt are you using? I juiced 11 qts last night and will can them tonight.
Thanks!

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by isuhunter

Ted,
How much canning salt are you using? I juiced 11 qts last night and will can them tonight.
Thanks!

I will let Ted answer you but you dont have to use any if you dont want to.
The salt is for your taste and your taste alone.
This statement is taken from the home canning site of the national,e center for food preservation.
""Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, ((if desired)).""
You can put more or none at all, your choice.
I would go with less because you can always add more later you darn sure cant get it out.
Ted has been doing this for so long he knows exactly what he likes.

Worth

[ContainerTed]

I do use the salt every time. When I'm done reducing what's in the pot, I add one teaspoon per quart. And, I always taste it before it goes into the jars. Then, it goes to the pressure canner for 25 minutes for quarts at 11 PSI. During the latter part of that 25 minutes, I take the pressure to 15 PSI and when the time is complete, I simply turn off the stove eye and let it cool/de-pressure until it is safe to open the canner.

I can't emphasize enough that you mut make any adjustments to the flavor before it goes into the jar. The salt is added to the pot, not the individual jars, and I stir the pot just before each jar is filled. That way, I know it will all taste the same.

[isuhunter]

Are you using canning salt?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

Today, I made my first batch of thick tomato juice like I do each year. Most years, I'll make 100 or so quarts of thick tomato juice that is simply tomatoes processed thru my Back to Basics food mill and some canning salt. It truly is like drinking a summertime heirloom tomato. It is the drive behind my mantra of only dealing with tomatoes that taste good.

Here's a quick look at what part of my day today was spent doing. From what I have in the jars, I can make salsa, sauce, or whatever trips my trigger, or I can just get it nice and cold and drink it straight up or with my favorite beer (makes what we call a "Redeye").

In January, when I open up a jar, it smells like summer. BTW, those eight jars are still too hot to handle (just out of the pressure canner).

Originally Posted by isuhunter

Are you using canning salt?

Yes he is.

I want to add you should never use anything but canning salt or an un-iodizsed salt for canning pickling and many other things.
I use it to cook with too.


Worth

[ContainerTed]

Originally Posted by isuhunter

Are you using canning salt?

Absolutely. Iodized salt would be dangerous in the canning scenario. I just finished making about 15 quarts of the initial "squeezin's" and they are now in the reduce mode. I'll let you folks know how many quarts end up in the jars.

[ContainerTed]

I wish you all could be here right now. The whole house smells of the wonderful tomato juice cooking on the stove. It is like the best tasting tomato soup, or something like that. It just lights up your whole conscience. And, get this. I haven't put anything at all in the pots but tomato squeezin's.

I wish I could bottle this aroma.

[Worth1]

If a person uses iodized or table salt in there canning pickling and preserving they will often times end up with some nasty looking stuff.
I have seen tight people use it and end up with black looking green beans and nasty looking tomato products.
It is also the reason I dont use it when I cook stuff like beans as it discolors them.
Canning salt is a finer gradual than table salt and table salt has anti caking agents in it too.

I have before me the two salts.
Table salt iodized.
Salt, potassium iodide, dextrose, sodium bicarbonate, yellow prussiate of soda.
Canning salt.
Salt.

I never in my life that I can remember looked at the ingredients of iodized table salt.
I had no idea it had all of that stuff in it.
When I was a kid I could have sworn it was just salt and iodine.
Worth

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by ContainerTed

I wish you all could be here right now. The whole house smells of the wonderful tomato juice cooking on the stove. It is like the best tasting tomato soup, or something like that. It just lights up your whole conscience. And, get this. I haven't put anything at all in the pots but tomato squeezin's.

I wish I could bottle this aroma.

All I have is pepper squezzings.

[encore]

ted just wondering if you get any seperation in the jars after they sit a while and have to shake them before drinking? thanks---tom

[ContainerTed]

Originally Posted by encore

ted just wondering if you get any seperation in the jars after they sit a while and have to shake them before drinking? thanks---tom

Because I reduce so much water from the pulp, I have very little water to separate. But still, I get about a half inch average in most jars of clear-ish liquid that is recombined by simply turning the jar upside down and then right side up one time. My DW and my Brother both say that if I get it any thicker, they'll have to chew it.

Edited to add picture:

Here's a picture just taken. The jars you see have been in this fridge fro about three weeks and you can see how much separation I'm getting.