In addition to the usual salsa ingredients—tomatoes, peppers, and onions—Corn and Black Bean Salsa also contains canned black beans, canned corn, and jalapeños. It’s simple to stock your cupboard with this vibrant and fresh salsa recipe by using the water bath canning method!
Regarding food, there aren’t many different viewpoints in our house, but it’s hard to satisfy everyone when it comes to dips and toppings. In these situations, I’ll make three distinct iterations of the same dish. Too little time remains in life to give up some of your favorite foods! For instance, McKenna likes regular tomato, onion, and pepper corn and black bean salsa, while John.e and I both adore this corn and black bean salsa.
Here in Canada, a major network of grocery stores called Loblaws is where we get the majority of our food. We happen to purchase our salsa from the President’s Choice brand, which they carry. We used to buy it frequently before the effects of COVID struck and food costs skyrocketed. That Corn and Black Bean Salsa used to cost around $6 for a jar, almost twice as much as it does now, after two or three years. I’m now producing my own at home.
Here in Canada, a major network of grocery stores called Loblaws is where we get the majority of our food. We happen to purchase our salsa from the President’s Choice brand, which they carry. We used to buy it frequently before the effects of COVID struck and food costs skyrocketed. That salsa used to cost around $6 for a jar, almost twice as much as it does now, after two or three years. I’m now producing my own at home.
For a small portion of the cost, I can prepare roughly twelve jars, and you can too! Take yourself to a farmers’ market on a Saturday morning if you don’t already cultivate vegetables in your garden or on your balcony during the summer. You’ll find all those fresh veggies for a lot less money than you would pay at the grocery store. For canned corn and black beans, which are frequently on sale, head to the grocery store. You can find the remaining ingredients for this salsa in most pantries.
HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL NEED:
The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post.
- Tomatoes – 12 pints (500mL or 2 cups) of pizza salsa can be made with this corn and black bean salsa . The best tomatoes for canning are roma or plum tomatoes.
- Bell Peppers – Use a mix of red and green bell peppers to add colour and contrast.
- Onions – You can use white or yellow onions.
- Tomato Paste – This will thicken the salsa and add a deep red colour
- Jalapenos – These are completely optional.
- Garlic – Use fresh garlic and finely mince it or put the cloves through a garlic press.
- Tomato Sauce – To add volume and more tomato flavour.
- Canned Corn and Canned Black Beans – Rinse and drain well under cold running water.
- Salt and Ground Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Paprika
HOW TO MAKE CANNED BLACK BEAN AND CORN SALSA
After completing all of the chopping, this recipe is really simple to follow! When all the vegetables are ready, put them into a big stock pot. Include the tomato sauce and paste. Add the rinsed and drained canned black beans and corn to the stew as well. Lastly, add the paprika and chili powder after seasoning with salt and pepper.
Over medium heat, thoroughly stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for forty-five minutes, stirring frequently. After the corn and black bean salsa is cooked, pour the mixture into clean mason jars and use the water bath canning method to cook it for 15 minutes.
PEELING THE TOMATOES
Heat up a big saucepan of water until it boils. Next, add a couple cups of ice to a large bowl that has been partially filled with cold water. Sort the tomatoes while the water is coming to a boil. Use only tomatoes that are free of blemishes or stains. Using a sharp knife, score the bottom of the excellent tomatoes. To score a tomato is to make an X-shaped cut through the skin very slightly.
Working in batches, place the tomatoes into the boiling water and allow them to sit for one minute. Remove the tomatoes from the pot with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the bowl of ice water. The ice water will stop the cooking process and cool the tomatoes so that you can touch them. After a minute, you can peel the tomatoes by pulling the skin off in four large sections from the scoring X pattern you created at the bottom of each tomato. Place the skinned tomatoes into a bowl. Continue to do this until all of your tomatoes are peeled.
PREPPING THE JALAPENOS
These are the measures you need to follow to prepare the jalapenos properly. First and foremost, wash the jalapenos, just as you should with any vegetable. Slice the jalapenos into 1/4-inch pieces after washing. You can dispose of the stem and the tail end after trimming them.
Next, you have a choice. You can remove the seeds or leave them in. I used to painstakingly remove every single seed, but now I like to leave a few in for heat. The seeds, and inner membranes, hold the most heat, so removing those can be a way to adjust the heat level. If you plan to remove the seeds, rather than slice the jalapenos, cut it down the middle lengthwise and scrape out the seeds and membrane with a spoon. You can dice the remaining jalapeno.
Use caution when touching anything with your hands. It will hurt quite a bit if you touch your eyes after cutting jalapenos! You can always use gloves to reduce the risk if you’re concerned.
HOW TO WATER BATH CAN
STEP 1: PREPARING THE JARS
Certain canners assert that sterilizing the jars is unnecessary if the jars must be boiled for more than ten minutes. No, I say! Cooking an egg is easier and less expensive than canning. If you don’t already have the necessary equipment, it will require time and money. Sterilize your jars every time to remove any risk at all. Your Canned Corn and Black Bean Salsa will appreciate you for doing this simple recipe! With hot, soapy water, wash the jars. To remove any soap residue, give the jars a thorough rinse under running water.
Place the jars in a big water pot. Heat until it boils, about two to three minutes. Tip the jars to release the water by tilting them out of the water with a jar wrench or lifter. Watch out—it’s hot! Lift the jar and place it on a baking pan. After the jars are all arranged on the baking sheet, transfer them to the oven and prepare it to 200 degrees Fahrenheit. They will remain hot and uncontaminated as a result.
STEP 2: PREPARING THE SEALS AND RINGS
Mason jars include three components. The jar comes first. The lid is composed of the second and third pieces. The seal is the flat disc with the rubber ring on the bottom. Lastly, a screw band is the circular component that genuinely screws onto the jar. The names of these items can change depending on the manufacturer or recipe you’re reading. However, they all take the same action.
There is no need to wash or disinfect the screw bands because they are not in contact with food at all. But I check to make sure they’re clean because I want to remove any possibility of contamination. Ultimately, before arriving at the store and ultimately at my place, they were seated in a warehouse. That’s more germs than I can handle! I give them a good wash in hot, soapy water, drain carefully, and put them in a bowl until I need them. We need to give the sealing ring/sealing disk some additional thought.
An orange-colored rubber ring can be seen at the base of the lid. It is fastened to the cover. This ring is really important! It is essentially in charge of ensuring the safety of your food throughout long-term preservation. Put the lids in a bowl made of glass. In order to keep them from being stacked, I like to divide them. When I’m ready to spoon the food into the jars, I cover the lids with a saucepan of boiling water to sterilize them and soften the rubber band. That is all. Your jars are now ready for use. The canner needs to be ready next!
STEP 3: PREPARING THE CANNER
It is not necessary, however you have the option to purchase a canning pot. Any stock pot will work perfectly. Make sure there is enough water in the pot to cover your jars by at least an inch. The pot should be tall enough to accommodate this. As necessary, fill the canning pot. Additionally, make sure the bottom of your pot has a canning rack or mat in it. A canning pot will be included with your purchase. If not, you can purchase them for any size pot. When boiling, never let the jars come into contact with the pot’s bottom. You could lose your canned corn and black bean salsa if they break easily. After doing this, raise the water’s temperature to a rolling boil.
In most cases, if you’re new to canning, you might notice some white residue on the jars after all is said and done. This can easily be cleaned off once the jars are cool. A few tablespoons of white vinegar in the boiling water helps to eliminate most of it. I use it every single time.
Lastly, it’s always a good idea to keep a kettle of boiling water close by. Depending on how many jars you need to process, you might have to boil them in batches. You will be surprised at how quickly rapidly boiling water can evaporate. Having a kettle of boiling water will allow you to easily top up the canning pot without altering the temperature of the water.
STEP 4: FILLING THE JARS
Depending on the recipe, filling the jars is quite easy. Having some inexpensive equipment on hand can make this process much easier. Invest in a canning funnel. It will help you ladle the food into the jars without making a mess. Remember to pay attention to the recipe’s recommended headspace. This is the amount of empty space from the top of the food to the very top of the jar. Also, it’s imperative to keep the rim of the jar clean to ensure a good seal. You will also need a bubble remover. You can buy these, but I’m not a fan of them. A clean wooden chopstick does the same thing. Removing bubbles will prevent mold from growing.
And lastly, a magnetic lid lifter is required. Recall that I mentioned that the bowl of boiling water will be filled with the flat sealing lids. You can’t simply pick them up with your hands, though. It’s hot, to start! The second thing you should do is get rid of any contamination risk. Keep your hands off the underside of the lid. Exactly! With a magnetic lid lifter, you can remove the lid and place it directly onto the jar’s rim without ever coming into contact with it.
STEP 5: BOILING THE JARS OF FOOD
Using a jar wrench or lifter, carefully pull the jars of black bean salsa and canned corn straight up. The jar should be lowered into the hot water kettle. This way, pack the jars into the canning kettle. Make sure there is some space between the jars; don’t pack them in tightly. My goal is to be as wide as a finger or a centimeter. Keep in mind that you can prepare the jars in groups.
After filling the canning pot, cover it and set your timer in accordance with the recipe you are using. Do not begin timing until the water reaches a full boil! Use the jar wrench to remove the jars from the water straight up when the allotted time has elapsed. Place the jars on a level surface covered with several layers of kitchen towels. Give the jars at least 24 hours to cool completely! Lastly, give the jars a final clean down, write the contents and the date on them, and put them in a dark, cool cabinet or pantry.
Some people remove the screw bands after the jars have cooled for 24 hours. I remove them just to check if there is a good seal. I put them back on once I’ve checked. It’s up to you if you want to leave them off. If you notice that a jar has not sealed, you can either discard it or refrigerate it for immediate consumption. Only do so if you are 100% sure the food has not been compromised and that it is safe to eat.
Finally, you will need to screw on the metal screw bands. In most cases, the food in the jars is scalding hot, so you can’t touch the jars to tighten the lids. But, that’s a good thing! You should never over-tighten the lids. Place the screw band over the jar and tighten it with one hand. It should be snug, not tight. Now, that’s it! You’re ready to boil these jars!
Corn and Black Bean Salsa Recipe
Corn and Black Bean Salsa not only includes all of your favorite salsa ingredients like tomatoes, peppers, and onions, but also has jalapenos, canned corn, and canned black beans too. Using a water bath canning method, it’s easy to stock your pantry with this bright and fresh salsa recipe!
- Prep Time45 mins
- Cook Time1 hr
- Total Time1 hr 45 mins
- Servings48 servings
- Calories31kcal
Ingredients:
- 8 cups diced tomatoes, skin and core removed and discarded
- 1 cup white onion, finely chopped
- 1 cup red bell peppers, finely chopped
- 1 cup green bell peppers, finely chopped
- 4 large jalapenos, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 4 cups tomato sauce
- 2 cups canned black beans, rinsed and drained well
- 2 cups canned corn, rinsed and drained well
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
Instructions:
- As you finish prepping each vegetable, add them to a large stock pot.
- Add the tomato paste and tomato sauce.
- Transfer the drained and rinsed canned corn and canned black beans to the pot as well.
- Finally, season with salt and pepper and add in the chili powder and paprika.
- Stir well and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat.
- Lower the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, for 45 minutes.
- Once the salsa is cooked, transfer the mixture to sterile mason jars and cook for 15 minutes using the water bath canning method.
