This fresh homemade tomato sauce, made from local organic Roma tomatoes, gives this sauce a rich, bold and thick consistency that makes a perfect absolutely delicious tomato sauce to enjoy year round.
I look forward to making fresh tomato sauce every year when I can purchase fresh local organic produce. This particular recipe includes fresh local garlic, fresh basil, fresh oregano, salt, sugar if needed, and olive oil to briefly sauté the garlic.
I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy homemade fresh tomato sauce and juice since I was a child. Mom made large quantities of tomato juice every summer. She would have about 40 bottles all lined up in the cold cellar. Her use of tomato juice was for spaghetti, tomato soup, and cabbage rolls. I find it very hard to substitute store bought tomato sauce once I’ve become so accustom to fresh delicious homemade juice and sauce.
HELPFUL TIPS
Tomatoes: choose ripe unblemished organic roma tomatoes for this sauce. When you buy fresh tomatoes, I spread the tomatoes on a large surface for 4-5 days in a cool room before making the sauce so they are ripen. Roma’s are the most popular for this sauce. Others are Amish, Better Boy or San Marzano. They contain less liquid, so therefore less time cooking on the stove.
Herbs: I like to use fresh herbs from my patio or I often purchase them at your local market. I find the fresh herbs has the most flavour. Dried herbs are always an option.
Cooking time: when making your own sauce, it will vary with the types of tomatoes you use and the climate conditions from that particular summer. If there has been a lot of rain, the tomatoes will contain more water, which will require additional cooking time for the sauce. Keep in mind the longer you cook the sauce, the thicker it becomes, but remember the sauce will reduce in quantity.
USES FOR THIS DELICIOUS TOMATO SAUCE:
-spaghetti sauce
-pizza sauce
-lasagna
-tomato soup
-panzerotti
-meat and vegetarian lasagna
-endless pasta dishes.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS
1/2 bushels (25 lbs) Roma tomatoes
extra virgin olive oil
garlic
Himalayan sea salt
cane sugar
fresh basil
fresh oregano
LET'S GET STARTED
I recommended using local organic or less sprayed Roma tomatoes. Today, there are many farmers who try to reduce the amount of sprays on their vegetables. A lot of the markets offer options as well. Once the tomatoes are washed, cut them in quarters.
Using a juicer is helpful to remove the skins and seeds when making your sauce. Place the cut tomatoes into the top bowl/funnel of the juicer, and begin pressing the cut tomatoes into the cavity of the juicer while turning the handle.
Option #2: If you don’t have a juicer, you can use a food processor. Wash tomatoes, and make a slight slit on top of the tomato, and then drop them carefully into a large pot of boiling water to for 30 seconds to remove the skins. Allow them to cool then add to the food processor to break them down, then press them through a strainer or food mill, to remove the seeds. Begin cooking the sauce, add the minced garlic, cook until it thickens, about 3-4 hours. Then add herbs before jarring the sauce.
Meanwhile, sauté the garlic for about 1 minute, long enough to release the aroma. Add garlic, salt and sugar to the tomato sauce. Cook the juice for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the last 10-15 minutes, add the basil and oregano.
Once the jars have been in the oven for 20 minutes and lids have been sterilized, dried in the oven, then add the sauce to the jars, and wipe the rim with a paper towel for any tomato drips. Place the hot lids on top and tightly seal each jar. NO bath required. Once you hear them pop, they have sealed.
The results are a thicker rich sauce that is ideal for spaghetti, pasta dishes, lasagna, marinara sauce and pizza sauce. I would suggest when you open the jars, prepare your ingredients you want to add, such as chopped onion, chopped coloured peppers, chili pepper for heat, additional herbs, tomato paste, and other ingredients of your choice.
STORING
To store, place the cooled jars in a cold-cellar or cool place in your basement. Important to store up to 4 months to allow the sauce to preserve and the flavours marry. Once you open the jars you will think it’s the middle of summer, it taste so fresh and flavourful! Enjoy this sauce throughout the winter months. I hope you give a try, it’s well worth the little effort and time it takes. Please email me if you have any questions.
Homemade Canned Tomato Sauce
Equipment
- 7 pint wide mason jars
- 1 large sauce pot
- vegetable strainer or food processor
Ingredients
- 1/2 bushel (25 lbs) ripe roma tomatoes, washed and quartered
- 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6-7 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tbsp sea salt
- 2 tbsp raw cane sugar
- 1 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
- 3 sprigs of fresh oregano leaves
Instructions
- Prepare the tomatoes by washing in the sink in clean water. If the tomatoes are quite dirty, I wash them twice and add salt to my water to help release the dirt and any hidden bugs.
- For a juicer, cut the tomatoes in quarters and add them to the top bowl/funnel of the juicer, and begin pressing the cut tomatoes into the cavity of the juicer while turning the handle. Making sure you have the large stock pot in place for the juice to drop into, and another large pan for the skins and seeds to drop into and once all the tomatoes are added and juiced. Place pot on the stove under medium heat until it starts to boil, then reduce the heat to a low boil to a simmer.Option #2: make a slight slit on top of the washed tomato before adding to a large pot of boiling water. Leave the tomatoes in the boiling water for 30 seconds, then remove the tomatoes, and once they are no longer too hot to the handle, peel the off the skins of the tomatoes. Add them to a food processor, and puree them until they are a consistency of juice. Using a food strainer or mill to remove the seeds.
- Meanwhile, sauté the garlic for about 1 minute, long enough to release the aroma. Add garlic, salt and sugar to the tomato sauce. Cook the juice for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the last 10-15 minutes, add the basil and oregano.
- Prepare the jars, by washing them in the dishwasher or by hand in hot soapy water. To sterile jars, place clean jars in a 250°-275°F (120°-130°C) oven for 20 minutes. Sterile lids the same way, either in the oven or in a sauce pot with boiling water, leaving them in for at least 5 minutes. Then transfer them to the oven to dry, before adding to the jars. Make sure the lids are dry before adding to the jars to avoid them from rusting.
- Once the jars and lids are ready, add the sauce to the jars, and wipe the rim with a paper towel for any tomato drips. Place the hot lids on top and tightly seal each jar. NO bath required. Once you hear them pop, they have sealed.
- This makes 7-8 500 ml or 7-8 pint jars. Store in a cool dark place, usually in a cold cellar or basement for up to 12 months.
