Tomato juice in 1.5 litre (quart) jars

The Ball / Bernardin Complete book has a tested recipe for canning tomato juice in large 1.5 litre / quart jars.

This recipe is designed for jars with two-piece lid systems. We used the 1.5 litre / quart Mason-style jars from Le Parfait, in their “Familia Wiss” line of jars. The jars are solid, high-quality glass as would be expected from the Le Parfait name, and the heavy-duty flat metal sealing lids provide a firm seal once the canning ring is removed.

To be clear, the USDA and NCHFP do not have access to the lab data from the testing on this size of jars, only Ball / Bernardin labs do, so you need to approach them with any questions, not the NCHFP.

For tomato juice in regular-sized jars, see Canning tomato juice.

Note: these jars are heavy and require sturdy shelving for storage.

Contents

Other 1.5 litre jar tomato recipes:

Tomatoes (whole, halved or quartered) in 1.5 litre jars

Tomato sauce in 1.5 litre (quart) jars

Quantities of tomatoes needed

You will need about 2.25 kgs (5 lbs) per 1.5 litre jar.

The recipe

Jar size choices: 1.5 litre (1.5 US quart)

Processing method: Water-bath canner

Yield: varies

Headspace: 2 cm (1/2 inch)

Processing time: 50 minutes

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Tomato juice

Ingredients

Tomatoes

Instructions

Wash tomatoes.
Stem them, and trim off and discard bruises. Don't peel or seed or core.
Take 6 of the tomatoes, cut into quarters and add to a large pot over high heat.
Crush them with a potato masher or other similar tool.
Stirring the pot frequently and keeping the heat high, continue to quarter the remaining tomatoes, adding them as you do and crushing them, so that they heat rapidly, too, and the mixture keeps on boiling, uncovered.
When all the tomato is in, let simmer strongly for another 5 minutes.
Pass tomato mixture through a sieve or food mill to remove skin and seeds.
Put juice back in pot, bring back to a boil, then lower to a simmer to keep quite hot.
MANDATORY. Acidify jars. To each 1.5-litre/ quart jar add either 3 tablespoons bottled lemon juice OR 3/4 teaspoon citric acid.
OPTIONAL: 1 1/2 teaspoons per litre/quart jar.
Ladle hot juice into jars.
Leave 2 cm (1/2 inch) headspace.
Wipe jar rims.
Put lids on.
Process in a water bath canner.
Process jars for 50 minutes. Increase time as needed for your altitude.

Reference information

How to water bath process.

When water-bath canning, you must adjust the processing time for your altitude.

The steam canning researchers recommended that no canning over 45 minutes be done in the classic top-hat style steam canners because they might run out of water.

Recipe notes

The technique of how the tomatoes are sliced and heated is to prevent juice separation. An enzyme called ‘pectinesterase’ is released when tomatoes are cut that causes a tomato’s liquid to separate from its solids. Heating the tomatoes as soon as they are cut destroys the enzyme before it has a chance to act, resulting in a better quality end product.
The writers of the Ball / Bernardin Complete say, “It is very important that you reheat the tomato juice before filing the jars. Processing times are based on hot juice in a hot jar: if the juice is tepid, the processing time won’t be sufficient to vent the excess headspace gases and / or destroy spoilage microorganisms.” (Page 360.)
All home-canned tomato juice must be acidified or it’s not safe for consumption. The added acidity ensures a pH below 4.6, which prevents botulism spores from germinating.
Note this procedure is NOT certified for 2 quart jars, only 1.5 litre / quart jars.
There is no pressure canning option for this.

Recipe source

Kingry, Judi and Lauren Devine. Ball / Bernardin Complete Book of Home Preserving. Toronto: Robert Rose. 2015. Page 360.

Modifications made:

none

Nutrition information

Per 1 cup (250 ml / 8 oz), no salt added

68 calories, 18 mg sodium

* Nutrition info provided by https://caloriecount.about.com