Canning Your Own Salsa Recipe
Q: Can I can my own salsa recipe?
A: There is no way to tell someone how to safely can a homemade salsa without having detailed knowledge of the recipe, procedures used in preparation, acidity and consistency of the final product. The proportions of your tomatoes, peppers, herbs and other vegetables will greatly influence what the safe canning process should be. Salsas are typically mixtures of acid and low-acid ingredients; they are an example of an acidified food and appropriate for boiling water canning if the final pH of all components is less than 4.6. If the mixture has less acidity, it would need to be treated as a low-acid canned food, with an entirely different set of canning requirements to eliminate botulism risk.
USDA and Cooperative Extension recipes and processes for home canning are all tried and tested. The processing times are decided upon for the recipe as provided and tested. Extension can only recommend recipes and procedures known to be safe, and encourage consumers to use tested, science-based home-canning recipes from reliable sources. Note: Pinterest is NOT a reliable source.
Your recipe could be frozen for long-term storage, but you will need to determine if you like the texture and flavor after freezing and thawing; there most likely will be changes in both texture and seasoning. Many times herbs and spices are better tasting when added fresh after freezing and thawing.
Please do not experiment with canning your own recipe that mixes low-acid vegetables together, even with acid like vinegar or lime juice. If done improperly, you put yourself at risk for botulism, a potentially fatal food poisoning.
Private testing of your recipe for canning is available. The Kansas Department of Ag has partnered with Kansas State University to cover the cost of testing. Please contact the Extension Office for a list of detailed requirements.
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