All canned products need to use one of these two methods to ensure safe food when consumed. Pressure canners come in two types - the dial gauge and the weighted gauge. Both are safe to use. The dial gauge should be tested every year to determine the accuracy of the dial. Your can bring your gauge into the Extension Office each Tuesday morning in August for testing.
Canned salsa needs to be made from a tested recipe.
The only changes you can safely make in these salsa recipes are to substitute bottled lemon juice for vinegar, and to change the amount of spices and herbs. Do NOT alter the proportions of vegetables to the vinegar and tomatoes because it might make the salsa unsafe. Some signs of spoilage in home-canned products include bulging lids, gas bubbles in the jar, unsealed jars, and cloudy liquid or liquid which spurts when the jar is opened. Do not taste-test any food that you think is spoiled. Discard all foods including the container that show any of the above signs of spoilage.