Water bathing, let alone the “oven method”, is being “phased out” for canning tomatoes according to FDA, because too many “modern” tomatoes have had the necessary acidity levels bred out of them in favor of “sweetness”, making them a “low acid” food!
IF you’re used to using the oven method; still have the “officiall” instructions to refer to; and have high-acid heirlooms, etc., it’s PROBABLY okay for you to continue; but not so much for someone like Marcella, who is totally inexperienced.
“because too many “modern” tomatoes have had the necessary acidity levels bred out of them in favor of “sweetness”, making them a “low acid” food!”
I’ve read about the lowering of acid in modern tomatoes and the Ball website recipe to can tomatoes states that and that’s why lemon juice is now added to the canning of tomatoes. I am using heirloom tomatoes but would still add the lemon juice and they say use the bottled lemon juice and not real lemons. I would use the water bath pot to can them.