When I was growing up I wanted nothing to do with the sauce-making endeavors of my mom and aunts. They would can... I would run away with a book. But now I see the value. It's more economical, tastes better, and is healthier! Plus the bonus of knowing it was provided through the earth and rain given to us by the Lord -- satisfaction!
Now this recipe is handed down, originally published in a small-town Arkansas community cookbook. I added a few tweaks for my own taste. Therefore, it's not copyright as it's my own version of the recipe. In fact I do so many batches each year, I've committed this one to memory. This may contradict the "never wing it" philosophy, but generally if your core recipe is the same, you can change seasonings with no problems.
Makes: 6-7 quarts of canned sauce;
1 quart = 8 servings; 1 pint is great for a large deep dish pizza; 8oz for a regular pizza.
Ingredients:
4-5qts whole tomatoes
2 green (bell) peppers
3 jalapeno (hot) peppers
2-3 pounds red onions
4 cloves garlic, minced
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| I start with the food processor to make it fast! |
2T each: basil, parsley, oregano, thyme
6 bay leaves
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/2c sugar
1/2c canning/preserving salt
1 pt olive oil (EVOO for stronger flavor)
8 small cans tomato paste (or 4 large ones)
quart and pint jars, rings and lids
canner & tools
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| before cooking |
Step 1: Tomato Base -- get your tomatoes ready for the sauce by blanching the skins off in boiling water (see first tomato post - doing this ahead of time can ease some of the work at sauce-time) and then chop the amount needed (4-5qts of whole/canned tomatoes). I like using the food processor at this step because it's not hot yet -- less chance of burning myself. You can also rough chop them yourself and then puree it later -- your choice. Chop 2 green peppers, 3 jalapeno peppers, and 2-3 pounds of onions (I like the flavor of reds) -- add it to the tomatoes. Add 4 cloves minced garlic. Stir well bring to a boil and cook for 1 hour, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. I recommend using a screen over the top to let it cook down without spattering your kitchen with orange polka-dots.
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| after 1st hour of cooking |
Step 2: Prep Flavor -- While that is cooking, chop herbs and combine in a 1qt container -- 2T (1/8c.) basil, 2T parsley, 2T thyme, 2T oregano. I like fresh -- you'll have to really pack them in the measure, though. If you don't have fresh, dried will work. My first choice is, naturally, fresh or dried from my own garden (sometimes herbs are ready and tomatoes are not). Second choice would be quality store-bought herbs. This will increase the cost of your sauce, but if you don't have an herb garden, what can you do? Add to this 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 c canning/preserving salt, 1/4c Parmesan cheese, 6 bay leaves. Set aside.
Step 3: Puree -- If you did not use a small appliance to chop earlier, you can do this step now to get a nice smooth sauce. You may use a food processor or a blender. I know some people who like it chunky garden-style. If that is you, skip the puree. I will say I think it's a bear to do it at this point as the sauce is HOT! I do the pureeing earlier.
Step 4: Season -- Add the bowl full of seasonings, sugar, and salt to the pot. Stir well. Add 1 pint of olive oil or extra virgin olive oil. It's your choice, but of course EVOO is twice the price sometimes. I find the regular stuff works well, though I believe EVOO is healther. Stir well and bring it back to a boil. Cook for 40-45minutes. Get the canner started boiling in this frame of time, too. It can take up to half an hour for the boiling water bath to be ready, less for the water in the pressure cooker as it uses less water. It's your choice which canner you use as they take about the same amount of total time.
Step 5: Thicken -- Add the 8 small cans of tomato paste and stir well. Cook another 15-20 minutes to finish the 2nd hour. Watch your spatter screen and burner temperature as it will bubble more and stick easier at this point.
Step 6: Can -- Have clean jars at the ready (when in doubt as to how clean, wash them again -- always!), and start heating them in a shallow pan of hot water (rim down). Do the same for rings and seals (lids). This sterilizes them and gets them hot enough to work properly, hopefully without cracks in jars or failure to seal. Use a canning funnel and ladle the finished sauce into hot jars. Wipe rims with a clean damp rag. Messy rims will prevent sealing. Place and adjust 2-piece caps, place jars in boiling water bath or pressure canner, your choice. Keep little kids out of the kitchen as this shoot steam during the cooking process. Below are the cooking times -- no skimping on time, for your own health.- Boiling water bath (very large stock pot): cook quarts 40-minutes, covered with at least 1-2" of water, boiling. Remove jars to draft free location to cool.
- Pressure canner: bring it to 10 pounds pressure (recipe originally said 5#, but I only had a 10# wt and that worked), cook quarts 5 minutes, let pressure come down to 0 naturally. Remove jars to draft free location to cool. (By the time you deal with pressure numbers, it still takes 30-40 minutes.)
Step 7: Store and Serve -- Remove rings and make sure the lids sealed by pulling gently at them (if not put it in the fridge and use within a week). Store with your canned goods. The less light and extreme temperatures, the better. I keep mine in the jar boxes. One quart is enough for 8 servings of pasta. This also works well as a pizza sauce if you have little leftovers in a pint or less.
This is one of our favorites, I've done 3 batches this year and plan on more as the tomatoes hold out. We've also made many types salsa, taco sauce, and can tomatoes whole to use in chili over the winter. There are so many wonderful things you can do with tomatoes! However, I have to keep the eating of them to once a week or tell my ulcer to pipe down! The sugar in this neutralizes some of the acid, but not all. Voila -- homemade convenience food!
What a savory delight and convenience it is
to have this, like other canning recipes,
ready to go on my shelf!
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