1. Ensure all canning equipment has been washed with hot water and soap and rinsed well.
2. Sanitize canning jars by placing them in boiling water for 10 minutes. Keep the jars in the water until they are ready to be filled.
3. Prepare a water bath canner by filling it half full of warm water. Place it on a stove over medium-high heat and bring the water to a boil while preparing the tomatoes.
4. Bring a large pot of fresh water to a rolling boil. This will be used for canning liquid.
5. Sort and rinse the tomatoes under cool, running water. Discard the stems, leaves, and cores.
6. Slice the fresh green tomatoes with a sharp knife or mandoline into ¼-inch slices.
7. Pack the green tomato slices loosely into the hot canning jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
8. Add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to each jar. Add 1/4 teaspoon of canning salt, if desired.
9. Fill the jars using the fresh stockpot of boiling water and a wide-mouth canning funnel, ensuring you maintain the 1/2-inch headspace.
10. Use a bubble remover tool to remove any trapped air bubbles from the jars.
11. Wipe the rims of the jars with a damp paper towel and apply new canning lids. Attach the screw bands around each jar and screw until fingertip tight.
12. Use a jar lifter to load the cans onto the jar rack and carefully lower them into the water bath canner. Add water if needed to get the water level to 1 inch above the tops of the jars.
13. Once the jars are in the canner, heat the water to a rolling boil and cover the canner with a lid. Process for 40-60 minutes, depending on the size of the jars and your elevation:

Processing time for pints per elevation:

• 0 – 1000ft: 40 mins
• 1,001-3,000ft: 45 mins
• 3,001-6,000ft: 50 mins
• 6,001ft and up: 55 mins

Processing time for quarts per elevation:

• 0 – 1000ft: 45 mins
• 1,001-3,000ft: 50 mins
• 3,001-6,000ft: 55 mins
• 6,001ft and up: 60 mins

Post Processing

1. Once processed, turn the heat off and remove the lid from the canner.
2. Allow the jars to rest for 5 minutes. Remove the jars from the canner with a jar lifter and place them on a towel-covered countertop to cool.
3. Do not retighten screw bands. Let the jars air cool for 12-24 hours. You should hear a popping sound as the jars seal during the cooling process.
4. Once the jars are completely cool, remove the screw bands and inspect the seals.
5. If the seal is indented and the lid doesn’t flex up and down, the jar is safe to label and store in a cool, dark place.
6. If the seal isn’t indented, you can use a new lid and reprocess the contents, or put the jar into the refrigerator and consume the tomatoes within 1-2 days.