How to make Tomato Sauce

How to make Tomato Sauce

What you need:
Tomatoes, cored
Bottled Lemon Juice
Salt
Dried Herbs (Optional)

For thin sauce you will need an average of 35 pounds of tomatoes to produce 7 Quarts. For thick sauce you will need and average of 46 pounds of tomatoes to yield 7 Quarts. General guideline for estimating weight is 3 medium sized tomatoes equal 1 pound.

1. Prepare Canner, Jars and Lids

2. Wash and Sort Tomatoes. Remove any bruised or discolored product. Quarter 6 Tomatoes and place in large stainless steel saucepan. Bring to boil over medium high heat. Using a Potato Masher, crush tomatoes to release juices. While maintaining a boil and stirring to prevent burning, quarter additional tomatoes, adding them to the saucepan as you work. Make sure mixture continues to boil vigorously while you add, stir and crush the remaining tomatoes. When all the tomatoes have been added, boil, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes.

3. Working in Batches, press the tomatoes through a fine sieve or food mill to remove skins and seeds. Discard skins and seeds. BEWARE: THIS IS THE MESSY PART!!

4. Returning mixture to saucepan and bring to boil over high heat stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium high and boil until volume is reduced by 1/3 for thin sauce and by half for a thicker sauce.

5. Before filling each jar add 2 tbsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp canning salt to each quart jar. (Note: measurement change if you use smaller or bigger jars).

6. If using, Add dried herbs. Start with 1/2 tsp per jar. You can adjust per your liking. I added dried onions, dried green peppers, crushed red pepper, basil and oregano.

7. Ladle hot sauce into prepared jars. REMEMBER: Hot Sauce, Hot Jars and Hot Lids! Fill Jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe rim and center lid on jar. Apply screw toplid.

8. Place Jars in Canner. Bring to boil and process 40 minutes for Quart Size Jars. (Times change with bigger or smaller jars.)

9. Remove Canner Lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars, cool and store.

I made 5 Quart Jars of Plain Tomato Sauce and 4 Quarts of Spiced Tomato Sauce