What Do Toms And A Camper Have To Do With Each Other?

Discussion in 'Fruit and Veg Gardening' started by Sjoerd, Aug 14, 2016.

  1. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Well, technically it may not yet be fall, but we have already begun the "Fall Clean-up". Additionally, we have been removing more foliage from the tom plants. After looking closely at the plants in the little greenhouse, one can easily see that there is a preponderance of pomodoro toms hanging there, all red and ready to be harvested.
    toms (4).JPG

    There were some Ferline's ready, but not nearly as many as the pomodoro's. It is time to harvest. A look at both sides reveals this ripeness of the one and the green abundance of the other.
    The Ferline's:
    toms (3).JPG

    The Pozzano's:
    toms (2).JPG

    Looking good, right? Well, Those marigolds really are doing well too. I have not seen one aphid or spider mite all season. They are enormous and I wonder if they have not managed to take-up some of the comfrey tea when the toms were fed.

    Well, here are some of the harvested veg...take special note of these super good pomodoro toms in the trug (the Ferline's are in the small trug to the left...they are for salads, the P'doro's are for concentrate). Gad, they all look splendid. I could remove whole trusses in some cases.
    toms (5).JPG


    Well then, with such a large harvest, there was only one thing for it--Can the stuff. We make concentrate that can be used during the course of the year for soup or savoury sauces.

    The first thing was to cut 'em up, then boil them until they fell apart. At the right moment, we stopped the boiling process and passed the squishy toms through a passe-vite. I am still not sure what you call that thing in English...at any rate what you get is the liquid and pulp of the toms, but the skins stay behind.

    Once it had all been sieved, then it was time to bring it back to a boil. We had two pots going at once. Here you can see the lower of the two.See how velvety and creamy the concentrate looks?
    toms (7).JPG

    Well, it was a bit tricky to pour it into the jars, but we managed. It is always difficult working with large containers of boiling liquids. In the end though, we got these eight jars filled.
    toms (1).JPG

    The total amount shown here is ~5 litres. I should have weighed all those toms right off the vines to know what the gross weight was. I will tell you-- there is easily another load as large as this one of the pomodoro's left and then the Ferline harvest still has to come. --I am a happy camper.
     
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  3. Islandlife

    Islandlife Young Pine

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    Lovely photos, lovely tomatoes and super great outcome! :)

    Can I ask, as am curious - why are your jars upside down?
     
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  4. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Good Morning,ISLANDLIFE,

    The jars were upside down when that pic was taken because the lids were being exposed to the high heat of the concentrate---sort of an additional "sterilization" technique, as it were. I turn them a couple of times until the jars have cooled enough to be handled. I do this with jams and jellies as well.

    I pour the concentrate in, and let it sit on the bottom only a few minutes, then I flip the jars over....let it sit a few minutes more and flip them again.

    In addendum: I can also see if I have screwed the lids on properly, as it will immediately begin to leak if the lids are not seated as they should be.
     
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  5. Islandlife

    Islandlife Young Pine

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    @Sjoerd - Very interesting. I've done mega canning over the years but never turned my jars. I'd wash the jars and then put them into a hot oven so they'd be absolutely snapping hot when I brought them out. I'd have the lids boiling on the stove top and a sterilized fork to lift them out and set on top of the hot jar and screw the lid down - I just never thought to turn the jar(s).

    Loved to hear the "Pop" of the lid sealing down. Always meant 'success' and a job well done. LOVED to see my full cupboard at the end of canning season too. Always meant lots of good eats all winter :) :)
     



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  6. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    S, don't you do a hot water bath to can this? you just turn the jars upside down after filling?
     
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  7. 2ofus

    2ofus Hardy Maple

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    Delicious looking tomato sauce, Sjoerd! I water bath can my tomatoes but when I make jam I do the same as you do, turn the jars upside down to make sure the lid gets hot and the rubber seal is softened and then turn them right-side up again.
     
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  8. KK Ng

    KK Ng Hardy Maple

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    Always wanted to make homegrown tomato pasta sauce and I think I'm getting there ... another year or two? ... maybe three!

    Sjoerd your toms are all so delicious and what a bountiful harvest. Yum!
     
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  9. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    I am curious about this too. I do the same with jams and jellies but not tomatoes for fear of botulism. No matter if they are higher acid.
     
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  10. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    Hiya CAROLYN and MART-- I am not sure what the term, "hot water bath" means...but I most certainly use boiling water. in the process. I have the jars and lids in it until I am ready to pour the jams or tomato concentrate in them. I then screw the tops on and set them aside, upside down. I am wondering it the hot water bath term refers to what I do with the jars and lids sitting in the hot water.
    BTW, I do cut and chop the toms, then boil them...then strain them...then boil them again before actually pouring the concentrate into the jars.

    Thanks 2OF-- I was interested to hear that you do your jams this way. I really must look up that term, "water bath".

    Thanks very much, KK-- Ach...it won't be that long, will it?
     
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  11. 2ofus

    2ofus Hardy Maple

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    Hot water bath canning is just a pan big enough and deep enough, with a lid, to set the jars in and have an inch or so water above the jar lids. A commercial one has a rack in it to hold the jars off the bottom of the pan so they won't break but I have used a kitchen towel to set the jars on to keep them from sitting on the bottom of the pan. There's charts on how long to boil the jars. This method only works with vegetables or fruits with high acid or sugar content. A lot of the newer tomatoes do not have the high acid in them the way the old ones do so you need to add vinegar to bring up the acid.
     
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  12. carolyn

    carolyn Strong Ash

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    Yep, you fill the jars and set them in a pot of hot water and bring it to a boil then remove the jars and they seal upright. the only thing I can like you do would be jam/jelly and even then I go to the water bath because I am selling it and not using it for us.
     
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  13. fatbaldguy

    fatbaldguy In Flower

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  14. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    Water bath canning is so that the temperature reaches a high enough level to kill any bacteria and botulism spores. Normal boiling of the ingredients and the jars will not do that for long term storage.
     
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  15. Growingpains

    Growingpains Young Pine

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    Pressure caners are used by some home canning enthusiasts. We pretty much follow Sjoerd's method with tomatoes and have for years. Never a spoilage, but I know professionals tell us to water bath or pressure can.
     
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  16. Sjoerd

    Sjoerd Mighty Oak

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    2OF---Ahhhhh. I see what you mean.

    CAROLYN--Yeah, that makes sense. You do not want to cause illness in your customers.

    Thanks for the vid, FBG--That is all the process that we use except for that last bathing bit.

    Got it, MART--Thanks so much for adding to the info.

    Thanks GROWING-- I know that there are more professional ways to do this here as well. If anyone would get sick it would be us. I have also not ever had any spoiled cans--knock on wood...
     

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