Homemade Canned Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients

• 25 lb Roma tomatoes (sliced in half)
• 4 Bell peppers (medium sized, any color)
• 2 Onions (large)
• 6 Garlic (minced)
• 2 tbsp Canning salt
• 3 tbsp Dried oregano
• 2 tbsp Dried basil
• 2 tbsp Fresh basil (chopped)
• 0.75 cup Bottled lemon juice (for jars to ensure acidity)

Steps

1. 1

   Wash and dry the tomatoes. Slice all 25 pounds of tomatoes in half.

2. 2

   Place the sliced tomatoes in a large stock pot and simmer on low to medium-low heat for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes are soft and juicy. This process loosens the skins.

3. 3

   Scoop the hot tomatoes into a food mill and process to extract all the juice and pulp. Discard the remaining skins and seeds.

4. 4

   Coarsely chop the onions and bell peppers, and peel the garlic cloves.

5. 5

   Add the onions, peppers, and garlic to a food processor and pulse until the vegetables are finely chopped or pureed.

6. 6

   Add the pureed vegetable mixture, canning salt, dried oregano, dried basil, and fresh basil to the tomato juice in the large stock pot.

7. 7

   Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer.

8. 8

   Simmer uncovered, stirring every 15-20 minutes, for 6 to 8 hours until the sauce reaches your desired thickness and consistency.

9. 9

   Prepare your canning jars. Pour 2 teaspoons of bottled lemon juice into each quart jar (or 1 teaspoon into each pint jar).

10. 10

    Ladle the hot sauce into sterilized, hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. De-bubble the jars, wipe the rims clean, and apply lids and rings until finger-tight.

11. 11

    Place jars in a water bath canner, ensuring there is at least 1 inch of water over the tops of the jars.

12. 12

    Bring to a rolling boil and process for 40 minutes for pints or 45 minutes for quarts.

13. 13

    Remove jars from the canner and let them rest undisturbed on a counter for 24 hours before checking seals and removing rings for storage.

Notes

To significantly lessen the cook time, you can add 2 cans of tomato paste to thicken the sauce faster. The lemon juice is critical for safety in water bath canning to ensure the acidity is high enough to prevent spoilage. Do not use fresh lemon juice as the acidity level varies; bottled lemon juice has a consistent pH.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• canning
• vegetarian
• gluten-free
• slow-cooked
• sauce
• preservation
• summer