How to Can Tomato Sauce?
Do you love tomato sauce? It is perfect with eggs, pasta, or vegetables. Homemade sauce tastes best. It is fresh and has no additives. Canning lets you enjoy it all year. Do you know how to can tomato sauce?Canning is not hard. But you need the right steps and tools. This guide will help you. It is for beginners and experienced people.
Which Tomatoes Are Best for Canning?
Not all tomatoes are good for sauce. Use "paste tomatoes." They are meaty and have less water. Roma tomatoes are a common choice. They are affordable and easy to find. Their thick flesh means less cooking. They also have few seeds. San Marzano tomatoes are another good option. They taste sweet and tangy. You can find them fresh or canned. Other good types are Amish Paste or Sanibel.
What Other Ingredients Do You Need?
You need only a few ingredients. The most important is an acid source. Acid stops harmful bacteria. Use lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice is best. It has a steady acid level. Use 1 tablespoon per pint jar. Use 2 tablespoons per quart jar.
Salt is also needed. It makes the tomato flavor better. Use ½ teaspoon per pint. Use 1 teaspoon per quart. Sugar is optional. It balances tartness. Start with 1 tablespoon per quart. Add more if needed.
You can add herbs for flavor. Use basil, oregano, or thyme. A little garlic or onion is also good. Keep it simple. Do not add oil, butter, or dairy. They can spoil.
What Tools Do You Need?
Use new flat lids. You can reuse bands if they are in good shape. A canning funnel is very useful. It helps you pour sauce without spilling. A jar lifter is also needed. It safely lifts hot jars. Do not use regular tongs.
How to Make Homemade Tomato Sauce?
First, wash the tomatoes. Cut out the stem. Cut tomatoes into quarters. For smooth sauce, blanch them first. Put them in boiling water for 30 seconds. Then put them in ice water. The skins will peel off easily.
Put the peeled tomatoes in a large pot. Cook them on medium heat for 15-20 minutes. Stir sometimes. They will become soft. Mash them with a potato masher. Or use a blender for smooth sauce. To remove seeds, use a food mill.
Then, simmer the sauce on low heat. Cook for 20-30 minutes. Stir often so it does not burn. Now add salt, sugar, and herbs. Taste the sauce. Add more sugar if it is too tart. Add more salt if it is bland. The sauce is ready when it coats a spoon. Then remove it from the heat.
How to Can Tomato Sauce?
2. Add lemon juice: Take a jar from the pot with the jar lifter. Put it on a clean towel. Add the lemon juice to the jar bottom. This step is very important for safety.
3. Fill jars: Use the funnel to pour warm sauce into the jar. Leave ½ inch of space at the top. Do not overfill. If you do, the jar may not seal.
4. Remove air bubbles: Use a skewer. Put it in the jar and slide it along the sides. This releases trapped air. Gently tap the jar on the counter. Check the space at the top again.
How Are Store-Bought Tomato Sauces Canned?
Factories make store-bought sauce. They use big machines. First, they choose ripe tomatoes. Machines wash and sort the tomatoes. Then, machines crush and cook them.
A large mixer blends the tomatoes with other ingredients. This mixer is called a Planetary Mixer. It mixes huge amounts evenly. This makes every batch taste the same.
Next, the sauce is heated very hot. This kills bacteria. A sauce filling machine puts sauce into jars or cans. The machine is very precise. It leaves the correct space at the top.
Then, the containers are sealed. A vacuum sealer removes air from jars. Cans get a double seam. This seal is airtight. Finally, all containers get more heat treatment. This is for extra safety. Then they are cooled, labeled, and sent to stores.
Some people find tomato sauce too acidic. You can reduce the acid. Adding a little sugar helps. Sugar neutralizes acid. Start with 1 tablespoon per quart. Taste it. Add more if needed.
You can also add alkaline ingredients. Carrots work well. They are sweet and have a high pH. Dice 1-2 carrots. Cook them with the tomatoes. Then mash them into the sauce. You can also use a tiny bit of baking soda. Use only ¼ teaspoon per quart. Stir it in well. Taste it first. Too much can make sauce taste soapy.
How to Thicken Tomato Sauce?
A thin sauce is not good. You can thicken it easily. Cook it longer. Simmer it uncovered on low heat. Cook for 30-60 minutes. Stir it often. The water will evaporate. The sauce will get thicker and taste stronger.
Adding tomato paste is a fast method. Tomato paste is very concentrated. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons per quart of sauce. Cook for 5-10 more minutes.
You can also use a starch slurry. Mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water. Stir this into the simmering sauce. Cook for 10-15 minutes. The sauce will thicken. Do not use too much starch. It can make the sauce gummy.
Canning tomato sauce at home is simple and rewarding. You can enjoy great sauce all year. Use the right tomatoes, ingredients, and tools. Your sauce will be safe and tasty. It will be better than store-bought sauce.