Sterilize the jars in the oven 150 Fahrenheit keep warm till needed. Boil the lids and keep in the hot water. I used a device called the canning wand, a magnet, to remove lids. Wash the tomatoes.
Semi-whole tomatoes; Scald the tomatoes in boiling water. 1 minute is all it takes. Remove the cores also.
The tomato skins come right off. Add tomatoes with no water to a pot. Mash a couple of tomatoes and start cooking them. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt in every pint jar. 2 teaspoons, salt lemon juice, and sugar per quart jar.
Fill each jar to within a 1/2 inch of the rim of the jars. These are the big to semi-whole tomatoes. They will process for 60 minutes for pints 90 minutes for quarts. Wipe the rims before adding lids. Cover the tallest jars by an inch or two of water. It will evaporate so check often.
Diced tomatoes; Dice the tomatoes keeping the skin on. Reduce the liquids cooking for as long as needed. You can use a canning funnel here. The tomatoes won't clog up, during filling.
Add the lids make sure to wipe the rims before adding. Place in a canning pot with a rack in bottom. Process for 30 minutes keeping water 1-2 inches above the tallest jar. Let cool on a towel away from drafts for 24 hours. I covered mine with a kitchen towel. Check the lids to make sure the sealed before storing.
Tomato sauce; add the tomatoes that are diced along with the onions, garlic, and hot sauce if you want. Simmer the onions and tomatoes with spices allow to reduce.
Add to the hot jars boiling hot. The last jar was about 2 tablespoons short. So I improvised and added 2 tablespoons of the hot sauce lol. Processed for 90 minutes. Check the lids after 24 hours allowing them to cool.
