What are the best tomatoes for canning juice?
Canning homemade tomato juice is a delicious way to preserve the fresh flavor of summer tomatoes to enjoy all year long. When selecting tomatoes for juicing, the variety and ripeness have a big impact on the flavor and texture of the final product. The best tomatoes for canning juice are meaty, low moisture varieties that are fully ripe. Some of the top recommended tomato types for juice include:
Beefsteak
Beefsteak tomatoes are one of the most popular varieties for juicing. They are large, meaty tomatoes with few seeds, which creates a thicker, more flavorful juice. Some good beefsteak types to use include:
- Brandywine
- Mortgage Lifter
- Big Zac
- Cherokee Purple
Paste Tomatoes
Paste tomatoes are ideal for juice because they have a lower moisture content and more meaty flesh. They contain less juice overall than other varieties, resulting in a more concentrated, robust flavored juice. Some recommended paste tomato types include:
- Roma
- San Marzano
- Amish Paste
- Opalka
Heirloom
Heirloom tomatoes offer a wider diversity of shapes, sizes, colors and flavor nuances. Many heirlooms are low moisture, meaty tomatoes that are excellent for juicing. Some heirloom standouts for juice include:
- Black Krim
- Cherokee Purple
- Green Zebra
- Brandywine
How to Select the Best Tomatoes for Juice
Beyond just the tomato variety, there are some additional tips for selecting the best tomatoes to make great tomato juice:
- Choose fully ripe tomatoes – tomatoes ripened on the vine have the most concentrated, intense flavor.
- Avoid overripe tomatoes – overly ripe tomatoes will break down too much and make the juice mushy.
- Pick firm, undamaged fruit – skip tomatoes with bruises, cracks or insect damage.
- Use a mix of heirlooms and beefsteaks – this ensures good color and balanced flavor.
- Select juice-specific varieties – stick to tomatoes listed as good for juicing or canning.
How to Prepare Tomatoes for Juicing
Proper preparation is also essential for making tasty homemade tomato juice that is shelf-stable when canned. Here are some tips for prepping tomatoes before juicing:
- Wash tomatoes and remove cores, stems and blemishes.
- Chop tomatoes into chunks to fit through juicer feed tube.
- Do not peel tomatoes – leave peels on for color and nutrients.
- Remove seeds only if they are overly mature.
- Lightly crush or press tomatoes to trigger juice flow.
- Work with smaller batches – 4-5 lbs tomatoes at a time.
Best Practices for Juicing Tomatoes
To maximize flavor and yield when making tomato juice, be sure to follow these guidelines:
- Use a tomato press, strainer or a juicer – avoid blenders.
- Bring juice to a boil and simmer 5 minutes – this concentrates flavor.
- Season juice with a pinch of salt, basil and pepper.
- Strain heated juice through a cheesecloth – remove skin and seeds.
- Pour into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
- Adjust lids and process in a boiling water canner for recommended time.
The Best Tomato Juice Blend
For the most dynamic flavor and balanced acidity in homemade tomato juice, use a mix of tomato varieties. The perfect tomato juice blend includes:
| Tomato Variety | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Beefsteak | 40% |
| Paste | 30% |
| Heirloom | 30% |
This mix of 40% beefsteak, 30% paste, and 30% heirloom varieties creates a juice with nice body and viscosity, bold tomato flavor, and pleasant acidity.
Serving and Storing Homemade Tomato Juice
For optimum flavor and nutrition, enjoy your homemade tomato juice within 1 year. Properly canned tomato juice can be stored:
- At room temperature in a cool, dark place.
- In the refrigerator once opened – use within 5 days.
- In the freezer for longer term storage – up to 1 year.
Tips for serving delicious homemade tomato juice include:
- Chilling juice before serving – this enhances the flavors.
- Pairing juice with complementary foods like grilled cheese, eggs, or avocado toast.
- Spice it up by adding hot sauce, Worcestershire, or celery salt.
- Use as a savory soup base or cooking liquid for rice or grains.
Canning Tomato Juice Recipes
Canning your own tomato juice allows you to control the flavor and quality of the final product. Here are some delicious tomato juice recipes perfect for canning:
Classic Tomato Juice
This easy recipe produces a simple, straight tomato juice using a blend of tomato varieties for balanced flavor.
Spicy Tomato Juice Cocktail
Add some kick to tomato juice by spiking it with hot sauce and lemon juice before canning for a spicy backbone to cocktails.
Bloody Mary Tomato Juice
Customize tomato juice for Bloody Marys by adding Worcestershire, horseradish, celery seed and black pepper before canning.
Gazpacho-Style Tomato Juice
Make your tomato juice resemble gazpacho by adding red bell pepper, onion, garlic and herbs before canning.
Conclusion
When canning tomato juice at home, pay special attention to tomato variety and ripeness. For the best results, select meaty, low moisture tomatoes like beefsteak, paste and heirloom types that are fully vine ripened. Prepare tomatoes by removing stems and blemishes while leaving the peels and seeds intact. Bring freshly made juice to a boil before carefully straining through cheesecloth. Fill sterilized jars while hot, adjust lids and process using a boiling water canner. Homemade tomato juice retains peak flavor and nutrients for up to a year when properly canned and stored. With an array of possible seasoning combinations, you can customize your own signature tomato juice blends.