Canning your own tomato sauce is a great way to minimize salt in your cooking and an economical way to always have a pantry staple on hand. Homemade tomato sauce is an essential base for making spaghetti sauce, barbecue sauce, soups, and stews.
MAKES: ABOUT 6 PINTS
INGREDIENTS:
- 10 pounds plum tomatoes, cored and quartered
- 6 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon canning or pickling salt (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS:
- BOIL THE TOMATOES: In a large stockpot, over medium heat, bring the tomatoes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes are mostly broken down. Remove the pot from the heat.
- STRAIN THE TOMATOES: Strain the tomatoes through a colander set over a large bowl, reserving both the tomato chunks and the liquid. Rinse the stockpot.
- PURÉE THE TOMATO CHUNKS: Purée the reserved tomato chunks in a food processor or with a hand-held immersion blender and then press through a food mill or fine-mesh sieve. Return the tomato purée to the stockpot. Strain the reserved liquid through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds, then add the strained liquid to the stockpot. Discard the seeds.
- BOIL THE TOMATO MIXTURE: Bring the tomato mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low and boil, stirring frequently, until the sauce is reduced approximately by half, 60 to 90 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
- PREPARE THE JARS: Add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice to each hot pint jar. Add ½ teaspoon salt to each pint jar, if desired. For quart jars, add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice and 1 teaspoon salt to each jar.
- FILL THE JARS: Ladle the sauce into the jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp paper towel. Apply hot lids and screw bands.
- PROCESS THE JARS: Process pint jars in a water bath canner for 35 minutes; quart jars for 40 minutes (see p. 34 for instructions). Remove from the water bath canner and let cool for 12 to 24 hours. Check the seals and remove the screw bands. Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year.
