EASY BASIC TOMATO SAUCE

With summer over and fall beginning, I figured I need to finish my tomato posting.  If you have read any of my tomato canning posts you know I love tomatoes but the last few years our tomato plants have not done so good.  This year was pretty good not as good as 4 years ago but it was good enough for me to get a lot of stuff canned.  

I like having tomato sauce canned because I use a lot of tomato sauce it.  I also use a lot of paste and marinara.  All 3 are made very similar.  The first steps are the same.  You start with clean tomatoes and chop them up then ... put them in a pot.  Cook them down and mash them up.  I like mashing them with something to help with using the food mill.  It just saves time. 

Put them through a food mill to separate the seeds and peels from the liquid.  Save your seeds and peels to make tomato powder.

Put the liquid back into a clean pot.

Now you can have plain tomato sauce or you can add seasonings.  I like plain tomato sauce because you can always various seasonings later. However, if you want spiced tomato sauce add your herbs now.

Basically, it is easy from here.  You just cook down the liquid to the consistency you like.  Tomato sauce is normally a bit thinner then marinara.  The general rule of thumb is to reduce by a third.

You need sterilized jars.  I normally do this in my canner.

Tomatoes need acidity in order to water bath can them safely.  

I use one tablespoon of lemon juice per pint.  

Pour the tomato sauce into your jars and add lids and rings.

Process jars for 40 minutes in a water bath canner.  Make sure there is an inch of water above the jars.  Once your time is up, cut off heat and allow to sit for an additional 5 to 10 minutes.  Then take out to cool. 

TOMATO SAUCE 

Ingredients

• 10 pounds ripe tomatoes
• lemon juice
• salt (optional)

Directions

• Rinse tomatoes and dry.  Rough chop them and place them in a large pot.  
• Cook tomatoes down for at least 2 hours.  Break tomatoes up with a potato masher.  
• Run mixture through a food mill to remove seeds and skins from the liquid and pulp.  Place sauce back into a clean pot and allow to reduce by a third.
• Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to each sterilized jar and pour sauce into jars. if you are using salt add 1 teaspoon per pint. 
• Place lids and rings on jars and tighten.  
• Water bath can for 40 minutes.  Turn off heat and allow to sit another 5 to 10 minutes.  Remove and allow to cool for 24 hours.  All jars should seal in this time period.  

This is going to be a time consuming all day project.  The time is worth it though because you have a great sauce to use.  

Note:  You must add acid when you can tomatoes.  The acid helps to prevent botulinum growth.  

ENJOY!!