I tried to make stewed tomatoes last year and basically got soup base. I think I used slicing tomatoes instead of cooking tomatoes. They just turned to mush. This year I planted Roma, Celebrety, and Oregon Spring, which are suspose to be good for cooking. My Grandmother never had a pressure canner, and made the BEST stewed tomatoes, But she didn't leave a recipe for them. I do have a pressure canner. If anyone has a recipe they can share I would be so grateful. Thanks,

-- Runners 3 (cmschram31357@mindspring.com), July 08, 2001

Answers

Hi, Runners. I'm not sure what you're asking. Are you asking how do you can a tomato and have it keep its shape without breaking down to canned tomato mush? I use a hot water bath for mine, and the tomatoes go into the can whole, or as whole as possible. Jung's used to sell a variety called 'Sugar Lump' that was perfect, but they've stopped selling it now. It was about 2"-2 1/2" across and would pop right into the can without cutting. Keep them as whole as possible for processing and they don't break up as bad. I don't know what pressure cookers do for tomatoes, as I've always saved mine for beef, etc.

Jennifer L.

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@imcnet.net), July 08, 2001.

Runners - Both my mom (Ardie here on the boards) and I use Celebrity tomatoes for canning whole. Some do get bigger and have to be cut in half, but they do hold shape pretty well when canned. Good luck!

-- Lisa in WI (lehman16@vbe.com), July 08, 2001.

Do you have a Betty Crocker Cookbook? It is in there.

Email me if you don't get a recipe w/in a couple days, in which case I will e-mail and post it for you.

-- rick K (rick_122@hotmail.com), July 08, 2001.