Corn & Cherry Tomato Salsa

This post is sponsored by Newell Brands, makers of Ball® Fresh Preserving Products.

Earlier this month, Newell Brands, makers of Ball® Fresh Preserving Products, invited me to Indianapolis to learn how to can. I’ve always wondered about canning, and I’ve always been too intimidated to try on my own, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity to learn! As it turns out, home canning isn’t as complicated as it seems.

On Friday, Jessica (canning expert and star of the brand’s YouTube videos) showed us how to make a berry jam. On Saturday, I learned how to make this corn and cherry tomato salsa in their test kitchen on Saturday—on Facebook Live, no less.

My live cooking session landed on the brand’s annual #CanItForward day, which is a day to learn more about canning and how to preserve summer’s harvest to enjoy all year long.

This year, they also launched the Ball Collection Elite 16 oz. Sharing Jar. With the purchase of each set of four pint-sized Sharing Jars, Newell Brands is donating four meals to Feeding America.

I came home and made their corn and cherry tomato salsa all on my own, in a set of Sharing Jars. This salsa is crazy delicious and tastes like summer. I’m trying to decide if I want to share these jars with friends or keep them all to myself to enjoy this winter! Is that terrible?

This recipe calls for five pounds of cherry tomatoes (a lot!). That said, if you have a salsa-worthy party coming up and don’t want to bother canning the salsa for later, you could make a full batch and store it in the refrigerator. As long as you polish it off within a week, that should work fine.

I learned some fun facts about canning from Jessica and wanted to share them with you.

Don’t adjust or adapt canning recipes because they are only validated for safety as written. Get your canning recipes from a trusted resource, such as Newell Brands, makers of Ball® Fresh Preserving Products, and do not fiddle with them while you’re making them.
If you have a glass stovetop, you might not be able to can on it. Check with your manufacturer before you try. I have a glass stovetop, so Newell Brands sent me the Ball® Fresh Preserving electric water bath canner to use.
Acidic foods (like salsa and jam) can be canned with a hot water bath. Low-acid foods (like chili or stew) require a higher canning temperature to be safe, and the only way to reach that temperature is with a pressure canner.
Higher altitudes require extra processing time (meaning, the jars need to spend more time in boiling water).
Always wash new jars and lids before using and be sure to dry the lids carefully to avoid rust or scratches.
Lids (the round part that you place on top of the jar) are one-time use only and can be purchased on their own. Mason jars and bands (the part that you screw onto the jar) can be reused.
Canned foods are safe for one year to 18 months, depending on the type of lid (longer if the seal stays intact and there is no corrosion, although the food’s nutrients and color will degrade with time).
Store canned food in a cool, dark place between 50 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Corn & Cherry Tomato Salsa

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Author: Cookie and Kate
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Yield: 6 pints 1x
Category: Sauce
Method: Canning
Cuisine: Mexican

★★★★★

4.7 from 3 reviews

This corn and cherry tomato salsa recipe is bursting with fresh summer flavor. This recipe yields about 6 (16-ounce) pint jars.*

Scale

Ingredients

5 pounds cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 cups corn kernels (about 2 large ears fresh, but frozen thawed is fine)
1 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons salt
½ cup fresh lime juice (about 3 large or 4 medium limes)
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder, optional
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 Ball® (16-ounce) pint glass preserving jars with lids and bands*

Instructions

Prepare the boiling water canner. Heat the jars in simmering water until they’re ready for use. Do not boil. Wash the lids in warm soapy water and set them aside with the bands.
Bring all the ingredients to a boil in a large stainless-steel or enameled saucepan. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Ladle the hot salsa into a hot jar, leaving ½-inch of headspace. Remove the air bubbles. Wipe the jar rim clean. Center the lid on the jar. Apply the band and adjust to fingertip-tight. Place the jar in the boiling water canner. Repeat until all the jars are filled.
Process the jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off the heat; remove the lid, and let the jars stand for 5 minutes. Remove the jars and let them cool.

Notes

Recipe excerpted from Ball® Canning Back to Basics, published by Oxmoor House (2017), with permission.

*Yield variance: When Chef Sarah developed this recipe, it yielded about six pints. However, my batch filled just four pint jars. Jessica explained to me that yields are approximate and can vary depending on how the produce is prepared and the moisture content of the produce.

Tomato selection: The brand’s recipe developer told me that you can substitute any variety of tomato for the cherry tomatoes, if you’d like.

Lime juice safety: The use of fresh lime juice in this recipe is for the purpose of fresh flavor and has been verified as safe by scientific testing.

▸ Nutrition Information

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.

This post was created in partnership with Newell Brands, makers of Ball® Fresh Preserving Products. I received compensation for my participation. Opinions are my own, always. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who support C+K!

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