Step 1

Wash mason jars and screw lids in soapy water and rinse soap off well under running hot water. Place clean jars on a baking sheet and place in oven preheated to 200 degrees. Set screw bands aside. Next, boil a kettle of water and pour into a clean glass bowl. Carefully submerge the sealing discs in the bowl of hot water. Set aside.

Step 2

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F Broil. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 3

Wash the tomatoes and chilies well. Cut each tomato in half lengthwise and cut out the top part of the core. Lay the tomatoes cut side down onto the prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven on the middle rack.  Broil until the skin is blistered and has blackened. Remove from oven and set aside to cool. Continue to do this until all of your tomatoes are blackened. When cooled, I like to use metal tongs to just pinch the top of the tomatoes. The blackened skin will slip right off. Discard the skin and roughly chop the tomatoes. Transfer chopped tomatoes and tomato juice to a large bowl.

Step 4

Next, prepare the jalapenos or poblanos. Do not cut them. Lay them onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and black under the broiler until black. Turn them over and blacken the other side. Once you remove them from the oven, set them aside to cool. Once cooled, the blackened skin can easily be removed and discarded. Go ahead and chop the chilies well, or slice them in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Only leave the seeds in if you want hot Canned Rotel Style Tomatoes. I remove half and leave half in so that the spiciness of my tomatoes falls somewhere in the middle. Add the chopped chilies to the bowl with the tomatoes. Stir well to combine and set aside until ready to can.

Step 5

Fill your waterbath canner just over half full with water. Remember, you will want the water to cover the filled jars by at least one inch when you start to process. Bring water to a full boil now so that it is ready to go after you've filled the jars.

Step 6

Remove the sterilized jars from the oven and add one tablespoon of bottled lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to each jar.

Step 7

Ladle the tomato and chili mixture into prepared mason jars using a funnel to prevent the mixture from touching the rim of the jars. Really pack them in tightly, pushing the tomatoes down into the jar with a clean spoon.

Step 8

Wipe down the rim of each jar with a damp paper towel to ensure none of the tomatoes have come in contact with the rim.

Step 9

Carefully remove the sealing discs from the hot water with a magnetic lid lifter. Position the sealing disc directly onto the lid of the jars. Do not touch the underside of the lid.

Step 10

Screw on the screw bands until firm - do not apply pressure! Just use your fingertips to tighten the screw bands.

Step 11

Using the jar lifter, place the jars into the canner and place the lid on.

Step 12

With the lid on the pot, boil the jars for 10 minutes. Do not time the boiling until the water has come to a full boil.

Step 13

Carefully remove each jar from the canner using the jar lifter. Do not tilt the jars or try to wipe them dry. Place jars onto a wire cooling rack that has been covered with a clean kitchen towel.

Step 14

Leave the jars to cool for a minimum of 12 hours. Once cooled, wipe the jars of any residue that might have been transferred to the outside of the jar during the boiling process. Label the jars and store in a dark, cool cabinet.