Diane’s Basil Diced Tomatoes

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Use my signature Basil Diced Tomatoes recipe when making soups, stews, pasta dishes and so much more! I substitute my Basil Diced Tomatoes in any recipe that calls for diced tomatoes, unless of course basil and sweet bell peppers don’t mesh well with the dish I’m making. I use these flavorful tomatoes in soups, stews, over baked chicken, or sometimes I’ll just heat up a jar and toss with pasta if I’m not in the mood for a heavy sauce. The possibilities are endless!

Get creative and have fun with your meal creation and say “goodbye” to plain ‘ol diced tomatoes forever!

Diane’s signature Basil Diced Tomatoes

makes approx. 10 pints or 5 quarts

  • 16 cups of cored, diced Roma tomatoes – I leave the skins on
  • 1 large yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp of fresh garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup fresh basil, coarsely chopped (I leave smaller leaves whole)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 tablespoons salt, optional
  • Fresh ground black pepper to taste
  • 10  tablespoons bottled lemon juice – to use during hot packing process

Instructions

  1. In a large stainless steel stock pot, combine all ingredients, less the lemon juice, and bring to a boil on medium-high heat. While stirring, allow to gently boil for 5 minutes to thoroughly blend each flavor.
  2. Jar Prep: Because we are hot packing the basil tomatoes, be sure your jars have been resting in hot water in the sink. Just prior to hot packing, add lemon juice to each empty hot jar: add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to each pint jar and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to each quart.
  3. Using a slotted spoon, add basil diced tomato mixture to each jar, leaving a generous 1 1/4-inch head space. Ladle in juice from the mixture to each jar, filling to 1-inch of head space.
  4. Wipe each jar rim and screw band with a warm wash cloth dipped in vinegar, then apply lids and rings. Hand tighten. Place sealed jars in your pressure canner. Process jars at 10 pounds of pressure, or according to your elevation, 15 minutes for pints and 20 minutes for quarts.
  5. After processing time has been reached, turn off the heat.  Allow the pressure in the canner to reach zero on its own, which usually take about 30 minutes. Remove canner lid and allow jars to set for 10 minutes inside canner. Remove jars to a draft free location in your kitchen to cool down completely before washing, labeling and storing.

Pressure Canner Lid Removal Tip:  When removing the pressure canner lid, tilt the lid up and outward so that the lid is used as a shield to protect your face and hands from the steam. Hold the lid until all the steam has dissipated.  Take a step backward and set the lid down in a designated area.  DO NOT rake the lid and your hands over the top of your pressure canner – especially while steam rises from the canner!!!  I learned the lid removal process the hard way!!  Steam burns!

Happy Canning!
xo
Diane, The Canning Diva
www.canningdiva.com

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