Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Corn and Black Bean Salsa not only includes all of your favourite 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!

In our home, there are not many differing opinions when it comes to food, but when it comes to dips and toppings, it is impossible to please all of us. In such cases, I’ll prepare three different versions of the same recipe. Life is too short to have to compromise on some of your favourite foods! Take this Corn and Black Bean Salsa, for example, John.e and I love it, but McKenna prefers plain tomato, onion, and pepper salsa.

We shop for most of our groceries at Loblaws, which is a large chain of grocery stores here in Canada. They carry the President’s Choice brand, which happens to be the brand of salsa we buy. We used to buy it regularly until the aftermath of covid took effect and grocery prices soared. One jar of that salsa is about $6 now, which is almost double of what it was two or three years ago. I’ve turned to making my own at home.

I can prepare about a dozen jars for a fraction of the price and you can too! If you don’t already grow vegetables in your backyard or on your balcony during the summer months, take yourself to a farmers’ market on a Saturday morning and you’ll find all of those fresh veggies for much less than you would pay at the grocery store. Go to the grocer for canned corn and black beans, which are oftentimes on sale. The rest of the ingredients in this salsa can be found 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 – This recipe will yield 12 pints (500mL or 2 cups) of pizza salsa. Roma or plum tomatoes are the best type of tomato for canning.
• Onions – You can use white or yellow onions.
• Bell Peppers – Use a mix of red and green bell peppers to add colour and contrast.
• Jalapenos – These are completely optional.
• Garlic – Use fresh garlic and finely mince it or put the cloves through a garlic press.
• Tomato Paste – This will thicken the salsa and add a deep red colour
• 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

Once you get all of the chopping out of the way, the rest of this recipe is quite easy! As you finished 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 can for 15 minutes using the water bath canning method.

PEELING THE TOMATOES

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Next, fill a large bowl half full with cold water and add a few cups of ice. While the water boils, sort through the tomatoes. Do not use any tomatoes with any bruises or spots on them. Score the bottom of the good tomatoes with a sharp knife. Scoring means to just slightly cut through the tomato skin in an X pattern.

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

To properly prepare the jalapenos, these are the steps you should take. First and foremost, like in the case of all produce, you should wash the jalapenos. Once washed, cut the jalapenos into 1/4-inch slices. Trim the tail end and the stem; you can discard those.

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.

Be careful what you touch with your hands.  If you happen to touch your eyes after chopping jalapenos, it will be quite uncomfortable! If you’re worried, you can always use gloves and eliminate the risk.

HOW TO WATER BATH CAN

STEP 1: PREPARING THE JARS

Some canners say that if you need to boil the jars longer than 10 minutes, then you don’t need to sterilize the jars. I say no! Canning is not as simple and cheap as frying an egg. It takes time, and an investment if you don’t already have the equipment. Eliminate any risk whatsoever by always sterilizing your jars. It’s easy to do and your Canned Corn and Black Bean Salsa will thank you! Wash the jars in hot, soapy water. Rinse the jars well under running water to get rid of any soap residue.

Transfer the jars to a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Using a jar wrench/lifter, lift the jars out of the water, tilting to pour out the water. Be careful; it’s hot! Stand the jar up onto a baking sheet. Once all of the jars are on the baking sheet, place them into your preheated oven at 200 degrees F. This will keep them hot and away from any contamination.

STEP 2: PREPARING THE SEALS AND RINGS

Mason jars are equipped with three parts. The first is the jar. The second and third parts combine to form the lid. The flat disc with the rubber ring on the bottom is the seal. Finally, the circular part that actually screws onto the jar is called a screw band. Depending on the brand or the recipe you’re reading, the names of these things can vary. But, they all do the same thing.

The screw bands never come in contact with the food, so they do not need to be washed or sterilized. But, because I want to eliminate any risk of contamination, I make sure they’re clean. After all, they have been sitting in a warehouse before they got to the store, and then finally, to me. That’s too many germs for my comfort level! I wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse them well, and transfer them to a bowl until I need them. The sealing disk/sealing ring needs a little more consideration.

If you look at the bottom of the lid, you will see a reddish-brown rubber ring. It’s attached to the lid. This ring has a huge job! It is pretty much in charge of keeping your food safe for long-term storage. Place the lids into a glass bowl. I like to separate them so that they are not all stacked. When I’m ready to ladle the food into the jars, I pour a kettle of boiling water over the lids so that they are sterile and the rubber band softens. That’s it. You have now prepared your jars. Next, we need to get the canner ready!

STEP 3: PREPARING THE CANNER

You can buy a canning pot, but you don’t have to do that. Any stock pot will do just fine. Be sure that the pot is tall enough to hold enough water so that your jars are covered by at least an inch of water. Fill the canning pot accordingly. Also, be sure to insert a canning rack or mat into the bottom of your pot. If you buy a canning pot it will come with one. Otherwise, you can buy them for any pot size. Never let your jars touch the bottom of the pot when boiling. They could easily break and your Canned Corn and Black Bean Salsa will be lost. Once you’ve done this, bring the water to a full 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 mould from growing.

Lastly, you will need a magnetic lid lifter. Remember how I said the flat sealing lids will be submerged in a bowl of boiling water? Well, you can’t just pick them up with your hands. First of all, it’s hot! Secondly, you will want to eliminate the risk of any contamination. Do not touch the underside of the lid. Period! Using a magnetic lid lifter will allow you to pick up the lid and position it right onto the rim of the jar without ever touching it.

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!

STEP 5: BOILING THE JARS OF FOOD

Carefully lift the jars of Canned Corn and Black Bean Salsa straight up using a jar wrench/lifter. Lower the jar into the pot of boiling water. Fill the canning pot with jars in this manner. Don’t jam the jars in; leave a little bit of space between the jars. I aim for about a centimetre or a finger’s width. Remember, you can process the jars in batches.

Once the canning pot is loaded, place a lid on the pot, and start your timer according to the recipe you are following. If the water is not at a full boil, do not start timing until it is! When the time is up, use the jar wrench to lift the jars straight up out of the water. Transfer the jars to a flat surface that has been lined with a few layers of kitchen towels. Allow the jars to fully cool – at least 24 hours! Finally, wipe the jars down, label them with contents and date, and store them in a cool, dark cupboard 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.