Learn How to Make Tomato Juice at Home (2024)

If you're short on time, there are other options to make tomato juice:

• Juicer: Place the quartered tomatoes in the juicer and process. The juicer will remove the skins and seeds, so you don't have to use a sieve unless you choose to do so. Cook the juice with salt, pepper, and desired spices. Boil as directed.
• Food Processor or Blender: Place the quartered tomatoes in a food processor or blender and process. Pass the mixture through a sieve to remove the skins and seeds. Cook the juice with salt, pepper, and chosen spices. Boil as directed.

If you want to can the tomato juice, you'll need to add bottled lemon juice (or citric acid) to increase its acidity. Most modern tomato varieties aren't acidic enough on their own, and by adding bottled lemon juice, you're changing the pH of the mixture. This ensures there's no room for harmful bacteria to grow.

1. Pour bottled lemon juice (2 tablespoons per 1 quart of tomato juice) directly into clean, hot jars. Add the hot tomato juice, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace for expansion.
2. Wipe the tops and threads of the jars clean, and seal them with the lids.
3. Place the jars in a water bath canner. Process pint jars for 35 minutes and quart jars for 40 minutes. If you are left with a jar that is not completely full, put it in the fridge for immediate use or freeze the extra juice for longer storage.
4. Once the processing time is up, remove the jars from the canner and allow them to cool on a rack at room temperature overnight.
5. In the morning, check the jars for a good seal. If a jar didn't seal properly, remove the lid and check the surface for nicks in the glass. Change the jar if necessary, top it with a new sealing lid, and reprocess the juice within 24 hours. Alternatively, freeze the juice in a freezer container or bag.
6. Label the jars with the date and keep them in a dark, cool place. Tomato juice keeps for up to one year when canned properly.

If you don't want to go through all the work of canning your tomato juice, you can also freeze it. Use bags if you have limited freezer space.

• Once the juice has cooled, pour it into freezer-safe containers, leaving at least 1 inch of headspace to allow for expansion as it freezes. Label the containers, and store themin the freezer. The tomato juice should keep well for up to one year.
• If you are freezing the juice in glass jars, use wide-mouth jars and leave 1 1/2 inches of headspace.
• To create smaller servings, freeze the juice in ice cube trays. Once the cubes are completely frozen, transfer them into a freezer-safe plastic bag, and store them in the freezer. When ready to use, remove only the cubes you need.

Show Full Nutrition Label

×