Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

This salsa is amazing! I use it all year for recipes, snacking, and gifts! As usual I do nothing on a small scale. So you can cut the recipe down and adjust it to your needs. This is just the amount I use for canning. I try to can only once a year for each thing I can so I do it big when I do it!

I use dried black beans and cook them per directions. And I use fresh (previously frozen by me) corn but feel free to subsitute for canned both. If your using canned corn make sure to drain it.

*Note you can change the mixture of pepper ratio for desired heat....this is what works great for me. Some heat but not too hot!

24 Cups of tomatoes chopped (Hand chopped...no desired size)

10 cups of onions chopped (Food processor)

4 cups of green peppers chopped (food processor)

6 cups of hot peppers chopped (I use a mix of hot banana, jalapenos, and garden salsa peppers)

18 teaspoons of minced garlic (I really should adjust to cup measurement but this is what I know)

6 teaspoons of cumin

4 teaspoons of black pepper

1/2 cup of canning salt

1 1/3 cup of white vinegar

2 cans of tomato sauce (29 oz each)

4 cans of tomato paste (6 oz each)

2 lbs of dried black beans soaked and cooked as directed (If using cans use 8 cans)

12 cups of corn (if using canned use 8 cans)

1/2 cup sugar

4 teaspoons of lemon juice

Tomatoes, green pepper, and hot peppers. Corn is picked and froze from a friends farm and onions are gotten locally (I don't have luck growing onions) It takes approx 40 tomatoes (nice size) 6 green peppers and about 30 hot peppers to make this recipe. (depending on the size) About 15 onions were used.

There's a mixture of hot banana and sweet banana. I never really sort or measure the number of each. I just use what's on hand! I don't de-seed or do anything crazy with any of the produce. I just cut it up! Removing the cores of the tomatoes and the ends of the peppers. That's about it. I have found that all the extra work with skinning and de-seeding and everything really makes no difference in the end result. Just lots more work.

Dried black beans work GREAT for the recipe. They take a little extra work but I try to steer away from canned stuff (well except my own. haha and that's technically jarred!) The beans soak overnight and then cook for about 2 hours. They can be made ahead if you wanted. I just do it on the same day.

Again with the corn I use fresh corn that we have frozen here. We have a friend that has a farm where we pick it from. We don't have space to grow corn.

Of course thrown in the mix of canning is Baby Baer. Keeping her occupied so she can both see me and me entertained.

Little Miss smiley!

And then there's Little Baer...keeping him entertained as well! He's a little easier cause food makes him happy! :)

After his breakfast of toast, cantaloupe and yogurt...he then had cheese its and animal crackers. LOL Then juice.....It takes alot of bribing to get him to sit for a long time.

And he's ALWAYS ready to ham it up for the camera!

Of course thrown into the mix of craziness in the kitchen are the kitty Baers....At least they can occupy themselves with a friendly (or not so friendly) game of wrestle mania. Hissing and tackling each other is apparently a form of fun for them...

Now that everything is mixed and ready....it's ready to simmer for at least 30 minutes. I get my jars ready and in the dishwasher and start the dishwasher (for sterile and hot jars), the water for the hot bath (see Zucchini Relish post for detail instructions on all this) and the simmering all at the same time.

Then while it simmers and the dishwasher runs you can attempt to clean the kitchen....while little Baer helps....

He's still in pjs (Hey it's Sunday...perfect pj day) And is loving the jar rings. Bracelets, Anklets, you name it, they are good for fun! (Baby Baer has given up and taken a nap by this point!)

Tools of the Trade

Jar Funnel: For ease in packing jars

Air getter outer?: For getting the air out of jars after packed and before sealing.

Seal magnet: for retrieving the seals from the simmering water with ease

Jar claw?: For putting jars in and out of water bath without burning yourself. (Papa Baer says stand back though! Water splashes!)

I have no idea of the "real" names for this tool set. But you can purchase it at Walmart for really cheap. And it makes canning easy. And honestly they are really needed. So go buy some! (dress first though so you don't end up like People of Walmart. )

SO....Back to the recipe and directions....

Once your jars are hot. Pack the jars with simmering salsa and seal with your simmering seals. Water bath for 20 minutes and set the jars on a dishtowel and cover with a dishtowel till cool and sealed. DON'T press the seals to check for sealing. Let them cool and then check them. Make sure they all sealed and then you are good to go! This recipe will yeild approx 32 pint size jars of salsa!

Happy Canning!