How to Make Tomato Juice for Canning (Without a Juicer)

 Learn how to make tomato juice for canning.  Use your homemade tomato juice to drink or in recipes for delicious soups and chili.  This has two ways to make a tomato juice canning recipe.

Every year, I make tomato juice for canning.  We don't drink it as a juice, but I do use in other recipes.  I always add it to my chili and tomato based soups instead of water.

Making a tomato juice canning recipe is very easy.  I've been making it for years with the leftover juice from making tomato sauce.

You can make tomato juice two different ways.  This is going to be long, but I'll explain both of them in this post.  

Use the method that makes sense for you and your needs.  I would recommend using the cooked version if you are making it to drink since it will be thicker.

Keep track of your canning recipes with my canning journal printable.  This has 29 pages to print for lists, recipes, inventory, labels, and more.

How to Can Tomato Juice at Home

Do You Have to Pressure Can Tomato Juice?

No, you can pressure can it or water bath can tomato juice for canning.  If you use a water bath, you'll have to add some lemon juice to change the pH to make it safe for canning.  

I always water bath can my tomato juice canning recipe because it's easier.

Do You Need to Use a Juicer to Make Tomato Juice?

I don't own a juicer, so I've never made it that way.  You can, but you can use either of the methods below to make tomato juice without a juicer.

How Long Does Canned Tomato Juice Last?

Your tomato juice canning recipe will last 18-24 months on the shelf.  Once you open your tomato juice for canning, use it within two to three days.

For longer storage, learn how to make freeze dried tomatoes.

Food Mill

We picked up a food mill the first year we started canning.  I now own three of them and several attachments.  

If you are planning on canning regularly, these save so much time!  It's especially useful for a tomato juice canning recipe.

This is the style for making tomato juice for canning that I use and love.  I've used the other styles, but they do not even come close to this style. 

I love my food mill.  I have the attachments so I can use it for different kinds of foods.

If you're new to canning, here are some canning supplies for beginners that you'll find helpful.

How to Use Homemade Tomato Juice

You can certainly drink this tomato juice for canning as is.  I add it in place of water for soups.  We really like it in stuffed pepper soup or in chili.  

You can also add this tomato juice canning recipe in place of water to rice or in any dish that has tomatoes or you want a tomato flavor.

Because this is a drink and an ingredient, I keep jars in rotation in my emergency food storage.

How to Make Tomato Juice From Whole Tomatoes

Use this method for making tomato juice for canning if you are planning on drinking the juice.  You can also use it to make recipes.  It's amazing in chili and soups.

Plan to use about 3.5 pounds of tomatoes for each quart.  I try to fill my canner, so keep that in mind if you are picking or buying tomatoes for a tomato juice canning recipe.

Ingredients

• 3.5 pounds of tomatoes per quart
• 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart

Directions

Step #1

Wash tomatoes and remove the stems.  Cut into quarters and place in a large sauce pan.  Stir frequently to crush the tomatoes while you bring them to a boil.  

Step #2

Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  

Step #3

Use a food mill to remove skins and seeds.  You can also use a sieve, but a food mill is easier.

Step #4

Place the tomato puree back in the pan and bring back to a boil.  

Step #5

Fill jars with hot tomato juice and leave a 1/2 inch head space.  Add 1 teaspoon salt to each jar and 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart.

Step #6

Add lids and rings.  Process pints for 35 minutes and quarts for 40 minutes.

For a pressure canner, process at 6 pounds of pressure for 20 minutes for pints or quarts or at 11 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes.

Step #7

Carefully remove jars from canner with a jar lifter.  Set on a towel to cool completely.  Label and store.

How to Make Tomato Juice After Making Tomato Sauce

I use the juice that is leftover from making tomato sauce for my tomato juice for canning.  This is a thinner juice, but it's fine for us since I'm just using it in recipes.

Since this is a byproduct of making juice, it's very difficult to tell you how many tomatoes you'll need.  From one bushel of tomatoes, I made sauce and got 4.5 quarts of tomato juice leftover to give you an idea of how many tomatoes you'll need for a tomato juice for canning recipe.

Ingredients

• Tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart

Directions

Step #1

Wash tomatoes and remove the stems.  Cut into quarters and place in a large sauce pan.  Stir frequently to crush the tomatoes while you bring them to a boil.  

Step #2

Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  

Step #3

Use a food mill to remove skins and seeds.  You can also use a sieve, but a food mill is easier.  

Step #4

Line a 5 gallon bucket with a fine mesh bag.   Put the sauce in the bag.

Step #5

Now comes the messy part.  I do this outside or put a tablecloth on the floor.  Lift the bag and let the juice strain out.  

Let it strain until the pulp is the right consistency for your sauce.  

Step #6

Place the juice back in the large pot and bring to a boil for 5 minutes.

Step #7

Place the tomato puree back in the pan and bring back to a boil.  

Step #8

Fill jars with hot tomato juice and leave a 1/2 inch head space.  Add 1 teaspoon salt to each jar and 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart.

Step #9

Add lids and rings.  Process pints for 35 minutes and quarts for 40 minutes.

Now you know how to make tomato juice for canning!

This tomato juice canning recipe was originally published at Koti Beth.

Homemade Tomato Juice for Canning

Yield

1 quart

Author

Cari @ Homesteading in Ohio

Prep time

1 Hour

Cook time

1 Hour

Total time

2 Hour

How to make tomato juice at home for canning.

Ingredients

For Thicker Juice

• 3.5 pounds of tomatoes per quart
• 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart

Instructions

1. Wash tomatoes and remove the stems. Cut into quarters and place in a large sauce pan. Stir frequently to crush the tomatoes while you bring them to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Use a food mill to remove skins and seeds. You can also use a sieve, but a food mill is easier.
4. Place the tomato puree back in the pan and bring back to a boil.
5. Fill jars with hot tomato juice and leave a 1/2 inch head space. Add 1 teaspoon salt to each jar and 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid per quart.
6. Add lids and rings. Process pints for 35 minutes and quarts for 40 minutes.
7. For a pressure canner, process at 6 pounds of pressure for 20 minutes for pints or quarts or at 11 pounds of pressure for 15 minutes.

Notes:

You can also reserve the juice after making tomato sauce. Can it using the same times.

Nutrition Facts

Calories

288.38

Fat (grams)

3.19

Sat. Fat (grams)

0.44

Carbs (grams)

62.62

Fiber (grams)

19.16

Net carbs

43.46

Sugar (grams)

41.98

Protein (grams)

14.04

Sodium (milligrams)

83.17

Cholesterol (grams)

0.00

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