There’s nothing sweeter that popping open the lid of a jar of Marinara Tomato Sauce and having a taste of summer’s best tomatoes in the midst of winter. That’s why I love canning tomato sauce. Let me rephrase that… that’s why I spent countless hours with my girl friends deseeding, peeling, and roasting tomatoes to make this perfect Marinara Sauce.
Last year I made freezer tomato sauce which was a bit easier but less easy to use during the winer. This season I’ve really be doing my best to make use of the fresh produce by canning. Besides canning marinara sauce, I’ve cannedApricot Jam,Peach Amaretto Jam, and I hope to can some salsa and pickles before the season’s end. Here are some more recipes to preserve the tastes of summer:
Mexican and Italian Crushed Tomatoes for Canningby Kelley at Mountain Mama Cooks
Easy Apricot Jamby me
Freezing Fresh Cornby Annalise at Completely Delicious
Blueberry Vanilla Bean Sauce by Kelley at Mountain Mama Cooks
Peach Jamby me
Peach Amaretto Jam by Annalise at Completely Delicious
Freezing Fresh Tomato Sauce by me
Freezing Garden Tomatoes and Herbsby Kalyn’s Kitchen
Kelley and Annalise, two fellow bloggers, and I spent a day working on this sauce. It took us around seven hours, which for some, is way too much effort but for us, it was a labor of love. Plus who doesn’t want to spend a day chatting with girl friends, getting elbow deep in fresh tomatoes, andsipping late afternoon white wine After all, we had to taste the wine before using it in the recipe, right? I’ve always heard, that if you wouldn’t drink it then don’t cook with-it. A motto I like to put to the test.
There are several steps to this recipe, each important in making a perfect sauce. However I’ve heard you can skip the deseeding and peeling but it will change the texture and richness of the sauce. Also, we used a ginormous amount of tomatoes making about 5 16 ounce jars (or 5 pint jars) for each of us (about 8 quarts, or 15 pints total), so you could slim down on that if you are okay with less sauce. My number one tip for you on canning your own Marinara Sauce is that you must do this with friends. It’s just more fun that way.
After making this you won't want any other recipe for canned homemade tomato sauce.
Prep Time 1 hour hr
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 2 hours hrs
Course Condiment
Cuisine American, Italian
Servings 8 quarts or 16 pints
Ingredients
- 24 lbs roma tomatoes, 1 case
- 3 stalks of oregano, chopped
- 8-10 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
- 4 cups olive oil
- 3 large onions
- 9 cups white wine
- 6-8 stalks of basil, whole
- 2 teaspoons of salt
- 6 tablespoons of lemon juice
- more salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350.
Cut tomatoes in half, remove hard core and stem, and scoop the seeds out into a separate bowl, set aside. Lay tomato halves in roasting pans, cut side up.
Scatter the garlic slices and oregano on top of the tomatoes. Drizzle with half (2 cups) of olive oil and Roast for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.
When tomatoes are almost cooled, remove the skins from the roasted tomatoes (they should be easy to remove at this point). Placing skins in the bowl with the seeds and the roasted tomatoes in another large bowl.
Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 cups of oil un a large stockpot and add onions and white wine. Simmer until reduced by half (15-25 minutes).
Mash the roasted tomatoes with your hands (this is the fun part!) then stir them into the simmering onion mixture.
Pur tomato seeds and peel into a sieve over the tomato sauce pot, pressing them so that theur juice drips into the pot. Discard seeds and peels.
Bring to a boil then add whole basil stalks and 2 teaspoons of salt. Lower heat and simmer for 40 minutes or more to thicken.
Remove Basil. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
Pour simmering sauce into sterilized jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace in the jars. Process in a hot water bath for 40 minutes.
I’m sharing this recipe for my favorite pasta sauce with theShare our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign. From this one post, Macaroni Grillwill connect kids with to up to 500 meals. Also, you may contribute by going online at 1 Million Meals or into the restaurant and donating $2, and get $5 off your next meal. Learn more about hunger facts herehttp://www.nokidhungry.org/problem/hunger-facts.
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Categories, Dinner, Fall, In a Weck Jar, Recipes, Seasonal, Vegetarian, Vintage Mixer
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FAQs
Unripe tomatoes consist of a lot more acid as compared to fruit that has reached maturity. That is why it is recommended to make spaghetti sauce or preserve tomato-based sauces through the pressure canning method that requires no acid to be added to the sauce and ensures that the taste remains fresh even after days.
How much sauce will 25 pounds of tomatoes make? ›
A 25-pound box of tomatoes will yield about 7 quarts of tomato sauce. To make sauce for canning, in the largest pot you have, add as many chopped tomatoes as will fit.
How much lemon juice per quart of tomato sauce? ›
Add 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon citric acid to quart jars. Use half this amount for pints. Add 1 teaspoon salt per quart (1/2 teaspoon per pint) to jars, if desired. Fill jars with heated sauce, leaving 1/4-inch headspace.
Do you need to add lemon juice when canning marinara sauce? ›
The short answer is, yes. It is critical when home canning tomatoes, whether they are whole, crushed or juiced, to acidify them during the canning process by adding bottled lemon juice or citric acid.
Is it better to pressure can or water bath tomato sauce? ›
If you have enough tomato sauce to fill all the jars needed for a run in the pressure canner, I'd use the pressure canner. Food may reach a hotter temperature in the pressure canner, but because it's processed for less time, it retains more of the nutrients.
How do you thicken homemade tomato sauce for canning? ›
If you want it even thicker, add another can or so of tomato puree until it is thick to your likeness. Let it sit for a while! Make sure to stir every now and then. You can let it simmer anywhere between 30 minutes to 2 hours.
Do you have to add lemon juice when canning tomatoes? ›
The short answer to the question is “Yes, to ensure safety, acid in the form of lemon juice, citric acid or vinegar must be added to tomatoes that will be processed by a pressure canning option”.
How many tomatoes is 40 lbs? ›
40 lbs = 279 tomatoes.
What happens if you don t add lemon juice to canned tomato sauce? ›
If the tomatoes have not been acidified prior to canning you are risking the possibility of bacterial growth, which can be fatal. If you just canned them, and they haven't been stored, you might be able to open the jars and start over, or maybe freeze them.
How long to water bath a quart of tomato sauce? ›
Place jars in canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process pint jars for 35 minutes and quart jars for 40 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
According to the National Center for Home Preservation, it is advised to use 1 tablespoon of fresh or bottled lemon juice per 1 pint of tomatoes. I do not adhere to this due to it changing the flavor. If you do decide to do this, you may want to add sugar to help offset the lemon flavor.
What is the secret to good tomato sauce? ›
Starting with good quality tomatoes and crushing them by hand offers great flavor and texture later on. The combination of butter and oil releases fat-soluble aromatics and gives the sauce a creamy texture. Slowly cooking the sauce in the oven creates rich caramelization without burning.
What is the secret ingredient in tomato sauce? ›
Approximately three dashes or ¼ teaspoon of nutmeg is plenty for a jar of tomato sauce. If you are making a large batch, add a bit more for good measure. While the flavor should be subtle, you still want it to make the other ingredients shine, so feel free to play around with the quantity until you get it just right.
Why do Italians put sugar in spaghetti sauce? ›
Up until the early 1900s, the U.S. had a limited tomato supply, and it didn't stack up to Italian standards. It is widely held that Italian immigrants began adding sugar to their sauce to make up for the overly acidic tomatoes they were forced to work with in their new home.
Do I need to pressure can tomato sauce? ›
Pressure Canning tomato sauce is well worth it to preserve this simple end of summer sauce made with whole tomatoes, skins, juice, and all!
How to can marinara sauce without a pressure cooker? ›
Using a large ladle, transfer the hot tomato sauce into the jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace between the top of the sauce and the rim of the jar. Wipe the rims with a clean kitchen towel, add lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 40 minutes. For smaller jars, reduce the processing time by 5 minutes.
Can I can tomato sauce without a pressure cooker? ›
If you don't own a pressure canner, don't worry -- it is possible to can tomatoes without one. Water bath canning works too as long as you follow the instructions. And you don't need a water bath canner either; any pot large enough to cover the jars with at least one inch of water works.
Can you can pasta sauce without a pressure canner? ›
No need to buy a pressure canner though! We make this tomato sauce safe to water bath can by acidifying the sauce with lemon juice. This takes the pH level to a safe range and makes this a simple canning recipe that is great for beginners.
