• Wash tomatoes thoroughly. Remove cores, bruises, and any blemishes. Cut tomatoes into quarters or large chunks.
• Place tomatoes in a large stockpot. Add ¼ to 1 cup water, just enough to prevent sticking. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.

  Simmer until the tomatoes are very soft and broken down, about 20-30 minutes.
• Working in batches, press the tomatoes through a food mill, tomato strainer, or colander to remove the skins and seeds. Discard skins and seeds.
• Return the strained tomato juice to the stockpot and bring back to a gentle boil.
• Measure the amount of juice you have. For each quart of tomato juice, add 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon onion salt, and ¼ teaspoon celery salt.

  Note: The amount of juice you get will vary depending on the variety and juiciness of your tomatoes, so always measure the finished juice before adding seasonings.
• Simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to allow the seasonings to blend into the juice.

For canning:

• Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice to each sterilized quart jar (or 1 tablespoon per pint jar).

  Note: Do not skip the bottled lemon juice. Tomatoes vary in acidity, and the added lemon juice ensures the tomato juice is safe for water bath canning. Don't worry, it won't affect the taste at all. You won't even know it's there.
• Ladle hot tomato juice into jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Wipe rims clean and apply lids and bands.
• Process in a boiling water bath canner for:

  Pint jars: 0-1,000 feet: 35 minutes , 1,001-3,000 feet: 40 minutes, 3,001-6,000 feet: 45 minutes, above 6,000 feet: 50 minutes.

  Quart jars: 0-1,000 feet: 40 minutes, 1,001-3,000 feet: 45 minutes, 3,001-6,000 feet: 50 minutes, above 6,000 feet: 55 minutes.

  For detailed canning instructions, check out our Canning 101 Guide, Water Bath Canning guide, and our guide on How to Can Whole Tomatoes.
• Remove jars and allow to cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours. Check seals before storing.