Preserving the Taste of Summer: Canning Tomato Sauce

There's something deeply satisfying about turning a basket of fresh, ripe tomatoes into jars of homemade tomato sauce lined neatly on a pantry shelf. Whether they came from your backyard garden, a local farmers market, or a roadside produce stand, preserving tomatoes is a time-honored tradition that allows you to enjoy the flavors of summer long after the growing season has ended.

For many homesteaders, canning tomato sauce is about more than simply preserving food, it's about stewarding the harvest, reducing waste, and creating healthy, homemade ingredients for future meals. From spaghetti nights and homemade pizzas to soups and stews, a well-stocked pantry of tomato sauce can become the foundation for countless family dinners.

In this guide, we'll walk through the process of safely canning tomato sauce, share a few helpful tips we've learned along the way, and encourage you to embrace the rewarding work of preserving your harvest one jar at a time.

The following recipe is based on the tested tomato sauce recipe found in the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.

Ingredients 10 lbs tomatoes, cored

2 1/2 cups onion, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp pepper flakes

1 1/2 tsp basil, dried

Bottled lemon juice or citric acid

Directions

1. Wash and sort tomatoes, removing any bruised or discolored parts. Slice the tomatoes into quarters and cut out the cores. Then slice the quarters half again. Put the tomatoes into a food processor and lightly chop them up. Pour chopped tomatoes into a warm stock pot and repeat until all your tomatoes are done. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer for 2-3 hours. Stir occasionally.

2. Prepare canner, jars and lids. Pour about 2-3 inches of water in the canner and allow it to get warm. Add hot water to the jars and allow them to sit on the counter while getting hot. You always want to make sure you are putting warm sauce into warm jars, into a warm canner.

3. When you're ready to add the sauce to the jars, discard the water and add either 1 Tbsp of lemon juice OR 1/4 tsp food grade citric acid to the hot jar. Ladle hot sauce into prepared jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and then wipe the rims. Center the lid and screw on the bands, only finger tight.

4. Place the jars in the canner, and place the canner lid on.

5. Allow the canner to heat up until steam starts coming out of the spout. Start your timer for 10 minutes and allow to steam.

6. After 10 minutes, place your bobber on the spout area and allow pressure to increase to 10 pounds.

7. Once you reach 10 pounds, monitor your heat and start your timer for 35 minutes. Keep your gauge at 10 pounds by adjusting heat as necessary.

8. After 35 minutes, turn off

   your heat and allow the canner to cool completely, naturally.

9. Once cooled, open your lid and allow the jars to sit in the opened canner for 5 minutes before removing them. Place the jars on a towel, on your counter and allow to sit overnight until they are cooled.

10. Check each jar to ensure they have sealed. Label and store!

11. Congratulations, you just canned tomato sauce!