- The intricacies of pickling tomatoes with citric acid for the winter
- Requirements for main ingredients
- How to pickle tomatoes with lemon juice
- A simple recipe
- Slices with butter
- Without sterilization
- With onions
- With cherry branches
- Green tomatoes with lemon
- Cherry tomatoes with citric acid
- Further storage of tomatoes
How can one not be amazed by the versatility of this vegetable: it is delicious both fresh, lightly salted, and canned. Recipes for preparing tomatoes with citric acid for the winter There are many. They differ from each other in the combination of spices and additional ingredients, which, to varying degrees, influence the flavor of the finished product. The classic recipe can be varied with bell peppers, capsicum, jalapeños, cloves, horseradish, various herbs, onions, or garlic.
The intricacies of pickling tomatoes with citric acid for the winter
They use citric acid instead of vinegar in canning Those who dislike the distinctive vinegar flavor in the finished product or for specific health reasons, especially those with individual needs. Citric acid imparts a mild, tart flavor to cooked tomatoes.
Regarding citric acid itself, given its chemical composition, excessive consumption is harmful to teeth and has a negative impact on the digestive system. Digestive diseases are a contraindication.
Requirements for main ingredients
To obtain high-quality canned food, it is recommended to use a number of tips:
- The vegetables should be whole, undamaged, and firm. To prevent cracking during pickling, it's recommended to pierce the stem with a toothpick.
- The greens required by the recipe must not be spoiled, preferably fresh.
How to pickle tomatoes with lemon juice
Recipes for pickling tomatoes with citric acid are suitable for those who dislike the distinctive vinegar flavor in preserves. Tomatoes pickled this way have a sweet and sour flavor. The amount of sugar can be adjusted to suit your family's preferences. Based on this classic recipe, you can make other varied pickles, varying them with additional ingredients.

A little about the cooking technology:
- Sterilization. Place all ingredients in a clean, prepared container, and pour in the boiling liquid. Then, place the container in a pan of water (warm; hot or cold water will cause it to burst) and sterilize for 10-15 minutes, depending on the container's volume. It's recommended to place a flannel cloth on the bottom of the pan and place the jar on it.
- Without sterilization. Place all ingredients in a clean container except for salt, granulated sugar, and citric acid. Boiling water is added and the jar is left for 15 minutes to warm up. Drain the water, add salt and granulated sugar, and bring to a boil again. Add citric acid to the tomatoes and pour in the boiling brine.
A simple recipe
Canning tomatoes according to this classic recipe is quite simple. Given the amount of sugar specified, the tomatoes will be sweet. You can adjust the amount of sugar as desired.
Ingredients required for marinating in a liter jar:
- tomatoes - 0.7 kg;
- sugar - 35 g;
- bay leaf;
- water - 350 ml;
- salt - 6 g;
- citric acid - 4 g;
- black pepper - 2 peas;
- parsley - 2 sprigs.

Procedure:
- Wash the containers, put parsley and bay leaves in them.
- Place the selected, washed and dried vegetables in a container.
- Add salt, acid, and granulated sugar.
- Bring the specified amount of liquid to a boil and pour it over the tomatoes. The volume may vary depending on the density of the container.
- Place the container in a saucepan with water, cover with a lid and sterilize for 10 minutes.
- Remove the container, close it tightly, turn it upside down with the lid and cover to keep warm.
Canning using three-liter jars is done in the same way, but it is necessary to triple the amount of the specified components and increase the sterilization time to 15 minutes.
Slices with butter
It is very tasty to cook tomatoes using the method described. But there is one subtlety: you need to choose very dense tomatoes and cut them along the pulp line so that the juice is preserved inside the slices. The amount of salt, citric acid and sugar is indicated for 1 liter of marinade.
Necessary components:
- tomatoes - 1.5 kg;
- salt - 25 g;
- citric acid - 4 g;
- granulated sugar - 75 g;
- garlic;
- bay leaf;
- dill;
- onion - medium;
- sunflower or olive oil - 65 ml.

Preparation procedure:
- Sterilize the container using any existing method (in the oven, in the microwave, with steam).
- Place dill, chopped garlic cloves, and bay leaf on the bottom of the container.
- Peel the onion, cut into half rings and place in a container.
- Wash the tomatoes, dry them, cut them carefully and place them in a container.

- Pour 15 ml of oil into each container.
- In a separate container, prepare the brine by adding sugar and salt to the specified amount of liquid and boiling until completely dissolved. Just before pouring, add citric acid.
- Pour the brine into the jars, but don't fill them to the brim, otherwise all the oil will leak out during sterilization. Cover with lids.
- The sterilization process takes 10 minutes.
- Remove the containers, close them tightly and wrap them up until they cool completely.
Without sterilization
Canned tomatoes without sterilization also keep well, provided that all stages of the preparation technology are followed.
Necessary components for a 3-liter volume:
- water - 970 ml;
- tomatoes - 1.6 kg;
- granulated sugar - 95 g;
- black pepper - 4 peas;
- salt - 25 g;
- acid - 12 g;
- bay leaf;
- Dill - a branch with an inflorescence.

Procedure:
- Place a sprig of dill, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a washed container.
- Wash the prepared vegetables, dry them and place them on top of the greens.
- Pour boiling liquid into the container, wait a quarter of an hour until the contents warm up, and drain the cooled liquid.
- Add granulated sugar and salt and bring to a boil again.
- Pour citric acid into the container with tomatoes and fill with brine.
Close the jar tightly with a suitable lid, turn it upside down and cover it to retain heat for as long as possible.
With onions
Canning with onions is a very common recipe; in addition to enhancing flavor, it provides the finished product with additional valuable nutrients. This recipe is designed for a 3-liter container.
Necessary components:
- tomatoes - 1.7 kg;
- salt - 25 g;
- onion - medium;
- citric acid - 12 g;
- bay leaf;
- sugar - 95 g;
- water - 970 ml;
- dill and parsley - 2 sprigs each.

Procedure:
- Place pre-washed and dried herbs and bay leaves in a clean container of appropriate volume.
- Peel the onion and cut into half rings.
- Place the washed tomatoes, interspersing them with pieces of onion.
- Add the required amount of sugar, acid and salt.
- Boil the required amount of water, pour it into a container and leave to sterilize for 15 minutes.
- Take out the jar, close it tightly, turn it upside down and cover it to keep it warm.
With cherry branches
Home pickling methods require a variety of additional ingredients, including cherry twigs with leaves (required). If desired, you can add blackcurrant sprigs. The cherries impart a wonderful aroma to the tomatoes, and the currant leaves add a beautiful touch. The quantity of components is indicated for a 3-liter container.
Necessary components:
- salt - 25 g;
- tomatoes - 1.7 kg;
- sugar - 85 g;
- twigs - 4-5 pieces;
- citric acid - 12 g;
- water - 980 ml.

Procedure:
- Wash a container of appropriate volume, put cherry branches in it, and add currant leaves if desired.
- Place the sorted and washed tomatoes on top of the greens.
- Add the required amount of sugar, acid and salt.
- Boil the specified volume of liquid, it may vary depending on the filling of the jar.
- Pour over the tomatoes, cover with a lid and sterilize for 15 minutes.
- Remove the jar and seal it tightly. Turn it upside down and cover it to keep it warm.
Green tomatoes with lemon
You can also pickle green tomatoes if they haven't had time to ripen in the garden before the cold weather sets in. For a 3-liter container, you'll need:
- green tomatoes - 1.6 kg;
- garlic - 4 cloves;
- water - 950 ml;
- sugar - 85 g;
- dill - 3 sprigs with inflorescences;
- salt - 25 g;
- acid - 12 g;
- bay leaf;
- black pepper - 4 peas.

Procedure:
- Wash the tomatoes and dry them.
- Place the dill and bay leaf in the prepared container. Add the peeled and halved garlic cloves and peppercorns.
- Place tomatoes in a container, add the required amount of salt, acid and sugar.
- Boil water and pour it into the container. Cover with a lid and sterilize for 15 minutes.
- After the time has elapsed, close the container tightly and, turning it upside down, cover it.
Cherry tomatoes with citric acid
Pickled cherry tomatoes are a wonderful appetizer for the holiday table. They look magnificent. It's best to preserve them in liter-sized jars. Ingredients needed:
- cherry tomatoes - 0.8 kg;
- granulated sugar - 30 g;
- citric acid - 4 g;
- salt - 7 g;
- parsley - 2-3 sprigs;
- black pepper - 2 peas;
- water - 340 ml.

Procedure:
- Prepare the container: wash and dry. Place the herbs on the bottom and add the peppercorns.
- Place washed cherry tomatoes, add sugar, acid and salt.
- Boil the required amount of liquid and pour into the container.
- Cover with a lid and sterilize for 10 minutes.
- Close the container tightly, turn it over and cover well to keep warm.

Further storage of tomatoes
Canned goods prepared according to the recommended ingredient proportions in the recipe and with all stages of the marinating process performed in the dark at room temperature will keep until the next harvest. If stored in a cold place (cellar or basement), the shelf life is extended to 3 years.











