cshenk wrote:
"George Shirley" wrote

than sixty years but I'm actually quoting what the USDA has to say about
modern tomatoes.

If you don't have an accurate pH meter or are not using pH strips that are
somewhat accurate then you need to add citric acid or lemon juice in the
USDA recommended amounts.

George, can we cut to the chase slightly for me? I'd like to try this for
the first time. I have access only to the water boiling methods. If I make
a thick sauce with just tomatoes and a few dried spices such as black pepper
and a little cayenne, how much lemon juice should I add to a quart? What I
have right now is the 'real lemon concentrate' but I can find out how much
water to add to that to make 'equal to one lemon' pretty easy grin.

I don't want 'leomony sauce' but I also don't want to be unsafe. I have 3
versions of tomatoes and no way to know if they are 'reduced acid' so it's
safer to assume they are.


Go here for the answer to your question:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can_03/tomato_intro.html

The primary URL for U of Georgia and food safety is a big help to all of
us. It has the safety recommendations from the foods science folks at
UofG and the USDA.