Homemade Tomato Juice Recipe

Three quart jars of tomato juice and a glass of tomato juice with a celery stalk in it for garnish.

5 from 66 votes

Turn fresh garden tomatoes into rich, flavorful homemade tomato juice. Drink it cold, use it in your favorite recipes, or process it in a water bath canner for safe pantry storage. Makes about 7 quarts.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Processing Time40

Total Time1 40

Course: Canning

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Juice, Tomato, Tomato Juice

Servings: cups

Calories: 67kcal

Author: Erica Walker

Equipment

Large Stockpot
Tomato strainer, food mill, or fine colander
Water-bath canner with rack
Quart canning jars with lids and bands
Canning funnel
Jar lifter and headspace tool

Ingredients

23 pounds tomatoes (yields about 7 quarts tomato juice)
water approximately 1/4 cup to 1 cup

Per Quart of Juice:

1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion salt
1/4 teaspoon celery salt

Add to each Quart Jar:

2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice (or 1 tablespoon per pint jar)

Instructions

Wash the tomatoes thoroughly. Remove the cores, stems, bruises, and blemishes, then cut the tomatoes into quarters or large chunks.
Place the tomatoes in a large stockpot. Add ¼ to 1 cup water, using only enough to prevent sticking. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring and crushing the tomatoes occasionally. Simmer until very soft and broken down, about 20 to 30 minutes.
Working in batches, press the cooked tomatoes through a food mill, tomato strainer, or fine colander to remove the skins and seeds. Discard or compost the skins and seeds.
Return the strained tomato juice to the clean stockpot and bring it back to a gentle boil. Measure the amount of finished juice. For each quart of juice, add 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon onion salt, and ¼ teaspoon celery salt. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Prepare a boiling water bath canner and keep clean jars hot. Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice to each quart jar or 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice to each pint jar. Citric acid may be used instead, using ½ teaspoon per quart or ¼ teaspoon per pint.
Ladle the hot tomato juice into the jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Wipe the rims clean, center the lids, and apply the bands until fingertip tight.
Process the jars in a boiling water bath canner. Process pints for 35 minutes and quarts for 40 minutes at elevations up to 1,000 feet. Increase the processing time according to the elevation chart in the notes.
Turn off the heat, remove the canner lid, and leave the jars in the water for 5 minutes. Remove the jars without tilting and cool undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours. Check the seals, remove the bands, label, and store.

Video

Notes

Plan on approximately 3 to 3½ pounds of tomatoes for every quart of finished juice.
The yield will vary depending on the tomato varieties and how much liquid they contain.
Measure the finished juice before adding the salt, onion salt, and celery salt.
You do not need to peel the tomatoes before cooking. The food mill or tomato strainer will remove the peels and seeds.
Bottled lemon juice or citric acid is required for safe water bath canning. Do not use fresh lemon juice.
Use 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or ½ teaspoon citric acid per quart.
Use 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or ¼ teaspoon citric acid per pint.
Leave ½-inch headspace in every jar.
Do not add fresh vegetables, onions, garlic, peppers, celery, or fresh herbs to this recipe before canning.
If making pints, use ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon onion salt, and ⅛ teaspoon celery salt per jar.
Process pint jars for 35 minutes at 0 to 1,000 feet, 40 minutes at 1,001 to 3,000 feet, 45 minutes at 3,001 to 6,000 feet, or 50 minutes above 6,000 feet.
Process quart jars for 40 minutes at 0 to 1,000 feet, 45 minutes at 1,001 to 3,000 feet, 50 minutes at 3,001 to 6,000 feet, or 55 minutes above 6,000 feet.
Start timing only after the water has returned to a full rolling boil.
If the boiling stops during processing, return the water to a boil and restart the full processing time.
Cool jars undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours before checking the seals.
Store sealed jars without the bands in a cool, dark, dry place and use within 1 year for the best quality.
Refrigerate opened jars and use within 3 to 4 days.

Nutrition