This thrifty pantry builder captures peak-season tomatoes, sweet corn, and tender okra in a colorful, ready-to-use base. Recipes like this appeared in mid-century American community cookbooks as a practical way to stretch summer vegetables into the colder months. The mix is raw-packed, lightly seasoned with a bit of salt and sugar, and processed so it keeps on the shelf. Open a jar and you’re minutes from a rustic soup, quick succotash, or a shortcut gumbo, just add broth and aromatics. With its Southern lean from okra and the homestyle sweetness of corn, the blend offers bright tomato acidity and hearty texture, making it a beloved starter for weeknight comfort or last-minute potluck dishes.
Ingredients
- 1 galon ripe tomatoes (16 cups, peeled and chopped)
- 2 quarts corn kernels (8 cups, grated or cut from cob)
- 1 pint okra (2 cups, thinly sliced)
- 12 tsp Canning salt (double for quarts)
- 24 tsp Granulated sugar (double for quarts)
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare Jars & Lids
- Wash jars, lids, and bands. Keep jars hot; sterilize if desired.
Step 2: Prep Tomatoes
- Score bottoms, blanch 30–60 sec, shock in ice water, peel, core, and chop.
Step 3: Prep Corn
- Grate or cut kernels from cobs.
Step 4: Prep Okra
- Rinse and slice okra into thin rounds.
Step 5: Mix
- In a large bowl, combine chopped tomatoes, corn, and okra.
Step 6: Pack
- Raw-pack mixture into hot pint or quart jars, leaving ½-inch headspace.
Step 7: Season
- Add 1 tsp canning salt and 2 tsp sugar per pint (2 tsp salt and 4 tsp sugar per quart). Remove air bubbles; adjust headspace. Wipe rims; apply lids and bands fingertip-tight.
Step 8: Process
- Water-bath canner: process pints 70 min, quarts 90 min (adjust for altitude).
Step 9: Cool & Store
- Rest jars 12–24 hrs. Check seals, label, and store in a cool, dark place.
Tips
- Use meaty, ripe tomatoes for best flavor and lower water content.
- If acidity is uncertain, follow modern canning safety guidelines regarding acidification of tomato products.
- Trim okra tips carefully and slice thin to keep texture tender in the final soup.
- Grating the corn “milk” adds body and natural sweetness to the mixture.
- Pack jars leaving appropriate headspace recommended for home canning.
- Consider using canning/pickling salt (non-iodized) to avoid cloudiness.
- For lower sodium, reduce added salt and season the soup at serving time instead.
- For a chunkier soup base, chop tomatoes less finely and slice okra a bit thicker.
- Label jars with contents and processing date for rotation and storage safety.
Nutrition
Calories: 79kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2.7gFat: 0.9gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 1160mgPotassium: 414mgFiber: 2.6gSugar: 9.1gVitamin A: 1073IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 18mgIron: 0.5mg
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