You'll need all the basic equipment for boiling water bath canning, including a sieve or strainer.

1. Choose perfect, firm, red ripe tomatoes. Wash, drain, and remove core and blossom ends.

2. Organize and prepare equipment and work area.

3. Cut tomatoes into quarters or leave whole.

4. Put tomatoes into a large saucepan or kettle and simmer until soft, stirring often.

5. Press through a sieve, strainer, or food mill and return juice to the pan or kettle.

6. Heat juice just to boiling.

7. Pour or ladle juice into hot pint or quart jars to within 1/4 inch of the tops.

8. Add 1 teaspoon salt or 2 teaspoons salt sugar mixture (1 part salt to 2 parts sugar) to each quart, if desired.

9. Wipe tops and threads of jars with a damp clean cloth.

10. Put on lids and screw bands as manufacturer directs.

11. Process in a boiling water bath 10 minutes for pints, 15 minutes for quarts.

12. Follow the basic steps for boiling water bath canning, 10 through 18.