We love tomatoes at this house. No, seriously. I don’t think that you quite get me when I say we love tomatoes. Take a lookie loo.

The Great Tomato Garden of 2008

There at least 27 plants that I can remember, of 3 different varieties. We had Roma, Cherry and Beefstake. Yum. And they were all started from seeds I might add, for those who know that I have a brown thumb. Unfortunately, we ended up moving from that house about two months or so after this picture was taken. Issues. Another post maybe.

We ended up with about 50% of the harvest, not being able to get back to get the rest. I’m sure the owner had to give some away! I planted so many because I wanted to take a crack at canning homemade salsa and tomato sauce. LOVED how they turned out, HATED dealing with the darn tomatoes! Blanching, peeling, coring 47 pounds OMG. June Cleaver had to be a drinker. Now, we don’t have a garden. And I’m okay with that because if I ever get the urge to do that again, assume I am a podperson and shoot me in the head.

But I really do love a certain taste and texture to my tomato sauce. Well, necessity being the mother of invention and all, I have come up with a new way to make ‘homemade’ sauce. Still involves canning, which I don’t mind a bit, but the prep is nominal. By the by, no laughing.

Equipment you will need:

Basic canning supplies
7 pint jars
7 sealing discs
7 bands
Basic cooking supplies

Ingredients for sauce:

Use your favorite sauce recipe/seasonings
OR
24oz tomato paste
7 - 8 cups water depending on your preference in texture
2 Tbs oil
To taste: salt, pepper, paprika, oregano, onion powder, basil, garlic
Optional: bell peppers, onions, canned mushrooms, etc.

First, get your canning pot and rack going with a full boil. You want enough water so that when the jars are placed inside, it covers 2 inches above the jars. Cover with the lid.

Canning Pot At Full Boil

Mix all of your sauce ingredients into a medium/large saucepan. I like to use a whisk because it helps to break down the tomato paste faster. Allow your sauce to cook at a good simmer for about 15 minutes.

Sauce Simmering

While the sauce is simmering, make sure your jars, lids and bands are clean and sterilized. Allow your lids, bands and jars to rest in a pot of clean hot, really hot but not quite boiling, water until they are needed. Take care to not touch the inside of the the jars, bands and lids so that you don’t introduce bacteria.

When the sauce is done, fill the jar to within 1/2 inch of the top. Run a spatula around the inside of the jar to release any air pockets.

Jar Filled With Sauce To Within 1/2 Inch

Place the sealing disc on top of the jar and press down slightly so that it doesn’t move around.

Place Sealing Disc On Top

Now put the band on and seal tightly.

Band In Place

As you fill the jars, place them on the rack in your canning pot. When you have them all done, lower the rack down into the pot and replace the lid. Start timing when the water returns to full boil.

Place Jars In Rack And Lower To Process

Process the jars for about 45 minutes. Turn the heat of, remove the lid and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before removing. When you remove the jars, place them on a towel and allow them to cool for at least 12 hours.

When they are cool, check the seal. Push down on the sealing disks ad make sure they stay down. You can remove the band and *gently* check the disk for a good seal as well. If you have jars that do not seal, place them in the refrigerator and use them within a week or so but I have never had a problem using this method. For the ones that have a good seal, allow them to rest for two weeks or longer for maximum flavor, especially if you have used vegetables. Enjoy!

Processed And Ready To Rest