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This is a water bath canning recipe for half-pint jars. I use the Instant Pot to prepare the tomatoes. I also use a hand-cranked food mill to finish processing the tomatoes. 20 medium tomatoes created 6 cups of tomato sauce. This recipe made 13 half-pints. It also took me several hours to make this, as I chose to chop the garlic, onion, cilantro, jalapenos by hand. Each step of this recipe takes time and patience. Everything is prepped the same day, to ensure the freshest of ingredients.

Ingredients

Dried chili peppers, 9

Hot water

Tomato sauce, 6 cups

Red Onions, 4 cups

Cilantro, 1 to 1 ½ cups

Garlic cloves, 20

Jalapeno peppers, 6

Red wine vinegar, ¾ cup

Salt, 1 tbsp

Hot Pepper Flakes, ¾ tsp

Hardy rubber kitchen gloves, 1 pair

Preparation

Cover the dried chili peppers with hot water for 15 minutes.

Remove the stems before placing them in a blender or food processor to puree.

Reserve half of the water that was used to cover the peppers and add to the blender with the softened peppers.

Chop the red onions, cilantro, garlic cloves and jalapeno peppers.

Place all into a large stainless-steel cooking pot.

Add the pureed chili peppers, salt, red wine vinegar and chili flakes.

To process the tomatoes, wash, cut a little off both ends and place in a wire or silicone container in the Instant Pot.

Add one cup of water, seal and set to high pressure for 2 minutes.

Put the tomatoes into ice.

The skin will peel away easily.

Process through a food mill or you could chop by hand.

Measure at least 6 cups of processed tomatoes.

I was able to process 10 tomatoes at a time in my 6 quart Instant Pot, so I processed two batches of tomatoes.

When everything is in the pot, stir constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat, boiling gently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and ladle into hot canning jars. You can use pints or half-pints. The water bath process for either of those size jars is 15 minutes. Then, turn off the canner/burner and remove the lid. Set the timer for 5 more minutes and wait before removing from the canner and place the jars of salsa on cutting boards undisturbed for 24 hours. Then, check to be sure the lids are secure, label and store. Makes the perfect gift.