Easy Canned Tomato Sauce - Melissa K. Norris
Easy Canned Tomato Sauce - Melissa K. Norris
Melissa Norris
Learn how to can tomato sauce at home with this easy recipe,
safe for both water bath or pressure canning!
EQUIPMENT
Pressure Canner or Water Bath Canner
Canning Jars and Lids
INGREDIENTS
20 pounds tomatoes 20 pounds makes about 7 pints of sauce
7 tbsp bottled lemon juice
1.75 tsp salt
3.5 tsp dried basil optional
INSTRUCTIONS
Prepare Tomatoes
1. Pick your fresh tomatoes, slice in half and remove seeds.
2. Place tomatoes, flesh side down (skin side up) on a cookie sheet and roast in a 350 degree F
oven for 5 minutes (or until skins start to pull away from the tomatoes).
3. Carefully remove skins and set them aside in a bowl.
4. Add tomatoes to a food processor or high-powered blender. Pulse quickly to liquefy contents.
5. Add tomato sauce to a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil.
6. Reduce heat and continue simmering until tomato sauce is reduced down to desired thickness.
(This will vary based on tomato variety.)
7. Meanwhile, prepare your jars, gather your lids, and either your water bath canner or your
pressure canner.
8. To each jar, add one scoop of tomato sauce, then add 1 Tablespoon bottled lemon juice to each
pint jar (or 2 Tablespoons lemon juice to each quart jar).
9. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt to each pint jar (or 1/2 teaspoon salt to each quart jar).
10. Add the optional 1/2 teaspoon dried basil to each pint jar (or 1 teaspoon dried basil to each
quart jar).
11. Fill jars the rest of the way with tomato sauce leaving 1/2-inch headspace for water bath
canning and 1-inch headspace for pressure canning.
12. Run a spatula around the jar circumference to remove air bubbles. Add more tomato sauce if
needed to keep 1/2-inch or 1-inch headspace depending upon your method of canning.
13. With a damp clean cloth, wipe the rim of the jar clean. Place on lids and screw down the bands
until resistance is met, then to fingertip tight.
NOTES
Keep track of how much tomato sauce you're blending as you go to have an idea of how many
jars to prepare for canning.
You MUST use bottled lemon juice for this recipe in order for it to be considered safe (or citric
acid, see free chart for differing types of acid and amounts right above recipe card).
Lemon juice, salt, and optional herbs should be added to each individual jar, not the pot of
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.
If you don't have enough jars to fill a pressure canner, or you don't have one, the water bath is
completely fine with this recipe.
Even if you are pressure canning the tomato sauce, you still need to use the bottled lemon juice
(or citric acid).
Allow jars to remain in the canner for the recommended time to prevent siphoning of liquid
which can inhibit a proper seal.
If you're 1,001 feet above sea level, you must make processing adjustments.
For water bath canning 1,001 to 3,000 feet is 40 minutes for pints and 45 minutes for quarts,
3,0001 to 6,000 is 45 minutes for pints and 50 minutes for quarts. For altitudes above 6,001 feet
increase by an additional 5 minutes.
For pressure canning, 1,001 + feet use 15 pounds of pressure.
NUTRITION
Calories: 119kcal Carbohydrates: 26g Protein: 6g Fat: 1g
Saturated Fat: 1g Sodium: 323mg Potassium: 1550mg Fiber: 8g
Sugar: 17g Vitamin A: 5398IU Vitamin C: 92mg Calcium: 70mg
Iron: 2mg
KEYWORD
Canned Tomato Sauce, pressure canning, Tomato, Tomato Sauce, Water Bath Canning