Corn Salsa Recipe for Canning
This simple corn salsa recipe is an easy way to preserve corn in a water bath canner, and it has the perfect balance of sweetness from the corn, balanced by heat from the peppers and tart zing lime juice.
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds of tomatoes roughly chopped (peeling/seeding first is optional, but weight after prep, whatever prep you choose)
- 1 cup corn kernels from about 2 ears fresh
- 1/2 cup onion finely chopped
- 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers seeded (or not) and chopped
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice about 3 to 4 limes
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Prepare all vegetables by washing and chopping. Seed the peppers for a milder salsa, or leave the seeds in for more heat. Peeling and seeding the tomatoes is optional, but recommended. Strip the corn from the cobs. (Frozen corn kernels can also be used, just defrost first.)
- Prepare a water bath canner (if canning), along with rings, lids, and jars.
- Place all ingredients in a stock pot or dutch oven and bring them to a boil. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure all ingredients are evenly distributed and heated.
- Ladle into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal with 2 part canning lids.
- Process in a water bath canner for 15 minutes (adjusting for altitude, see notes). After 15 minutes, turn off the heat but leave the jars in the canner for an additional 5 minutes. (This helps prevent siphoning from thermal shock.)
- Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter and allow them to cool on a towel on the counter for 12-24 hours. Check seals and store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use.
Notes
Batch Size
I've kept this as a small batch recipe, but it can be easily scaled up depending on your needs. Some canning recipes (like jam/jelly) cannot be doubled, but this recipe is fine to double, triple, or quadruple. Just be sure to stir the ingredients thoroughly to ensure the lime juice is well distributed through the pot, and to heat all the ingredients evenly. This recipe should make right about 3 pints, but you may end up slightly less depending on how watery your tomatoes are. Use paste tomatoes for a better yield (and firmer texture). Or use cherry tomatoes for a sweeter flavor.Lime Juice and Canning Safety
This recipe is specifically tested for safety with fresh lime juice. Most canning recipes specifically require bottled citrus for standardized acidity, but this recipe can be made with either fresh or bottled. I'd recommend fresh, as it gives better flavor. Be sure to measure the lime juice, and use a minimum of 1/4 cup. More is fine, but less is not safe for canning. Don't just go by the "3 to 4 limes" guidance, you actually need to measure the juice.Altitude Adjustments
If above 1,000 feet in altitude, you'll need to adjust the total canning time. These times are approved for half-pint and pint jars, but it's not tested for canning in quarts. Here are the times for other elevations:- 0 to 1,000 Feet: 15 minutes
- 1,001 to 3,000 Feet: 20 minutes
- 3,001 to 6,000 Feet: 25 minutes
- 6,001 to 8,000 Feet: 30 minutes
- 8,001 to 10,000 Feet: 35 minutes