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Publication #FCS8190

Selecting, Preparing, and Canning: Tomatoes with Okra or Zucchini1

United States Department of Agriculture Extension Service2

Quantity: An average of 12 pounds of tomatoes and 4 pounds of okra or zucchini is needed per canner load of 7 quarts. An average of 7 pounds of tomatoes and 2-1/2 pounds of okra or zucchini is needed per canner load of 9 pints.

Procedure: Wash tomatoes and okra or zucchini. Dip tomatoes in boiling water 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Then dip in cold water, slip off skins, remove cores, and quarter. Trim stems from okra and slice into 1-inch pieces or leave whole. Slice or cube zucchini if used. Bring tomatoes to a boil and simmer 10 minutes. Add okra or zucchini and boil gently 5 minutes. Add 1 teaspoon of salt for each quart to the jars, if desired. Fill jars with mixture, leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations in Table 1 or Table 2, depending on the method of canning used.

Variation: You may add four or five pearl onions or two onion slices to each jar.

Tables

Table 1. 

Table 1. Recommended process time for Tomatoes with Okra or Zucchini in a dial-gauge pressure canner.

Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack
 Jar Size
 Process Time
 0 - 2,000 ft
 2,001 - 4,000 ft
 4,001 - 6,000 ft
 6,001 - 8,000 ft
Hot
 Pints
 30 min
 11 lb
 12 lb
 13 lb
 14 lb
Quarts
 35
 11
 12
 13
 14
*After the canner is completely depressurized, remove the weight from the vent port or open the petcock. Wait 10 minutes; then unfasten the lid and remove it carefully. Lift the lid with the underside away from you so that the steam coming out of the canner does not burn your face.



Table 2. 
Table 2. Recommended process time for Tomatoes with Okra or Zucchini in a weighted-gauge pressure canner.

Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of
Style of Pack
 Jar Size
 Process Time
 0 - 1,000 ft
 Above 1,000 ft
Hot
 Pints
 30 min
 10 lb
 15 lb
Quarts
 35
 10
 15
*After the canner is completely depressurized, remove the weight from the vent port or open the petcock. Wait 10 minutes; then unfasten the lid and remove it carefully. Lift the lid with the underside away from you so that the steam coming out of the canner does not burn your face.



Footnotes

1. This document is FCS 8190, a series of the Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Publication date: May 2003. Reviewed: June 2008. This document was extracted from the Complete Guide to Home Canning, Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539, USDA. It was originally published on CD-ROM as part of HE 8149, Guide 3: Selecting, Preparing, and Canning Tomatoes and Tomato Products. Please visit the EDIS Web site at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu

2. Reviewed for use in Florida by Amy Simonne, assistant professor, Food Safety and Quality, Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville FL 32611.

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. For more information on obtaining other extension publications, contact your county Cooperative Extension service.

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A. & M. University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Larry Arrington, Dean.