INGREDIENTS
- 6 Kilo grams of ripe tomatoes
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice or red wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons salt (optional)
Equipment
- 6 1/2-quart or larger Dutch oven or stockpot
- Mixing bowls
- Slotted spoon
- Knife and cutting board
- Food processor or blender
- 6 sterilized pint jars for canning, or containers for freezing
1)Make the ice bath and bring a saucepan of water to a boil.
Heat a large stockpot or Dutch oven (at least 6 quarts) to a rolling boil over high heat. Place a sizable dish of ice and water close to the burner.
2)Get the tomatoes ready for a quick blanch.
Slice a shallow “X” into the bottom of each tomato and remove the stems.
3)For easier peeling, blanch the tomatoes.
Drop a few tomatoes into the hot water while working in batches. Cook for 45 to 60 seconds, or until you notice the skin beginning to break and wrinkle. Lift out the tomatoes and drop them into the icy water using a slotted spoon. Proceed with the remaining tomatoes, moving them to a different sizable bowl as they cool from the cold water. Remove the pot’s blanching water (no need to dry).https://www.youtube.com/embed/MV4MgN-x8ac?feature=oembed
4)Peel the tomatoes.
When the tomatoes are done blanching, remove the skins with your hands or a paring knife. After boiling the tomatoes, discard the water.https://www.youtube.com/embed/CW_Z8HwcgYM?feature=oembed
5)Coarsely chop the tomatoes.
Put the tomatoes in the food processor with the blade attachment, working in batches. For a more chunky sauce, pulse a few times; for a puréed sauce, pulse until smooth. Alternatively, finely chop the tomatoes by hand. Process through a food mill to get a smoother sauce. Leave out this step completely if you want a really chunky sauce, and let the tomatoes boil down into big chunks. Pour each batch into the stockpot or Dutch oven that was set aside.
6)Simmer the tomatoes.
Over medium heat, bring the tomato sauce to a simmer. Simmer for a further 30 to 90 minutes, stirring now and again, until the sauce achieves your preferred consistency and flavor.
7)Add the salt and lemon juice and stir.
Add salt, vinegar, and at least 1/4 cup of lemon juice and stir. To provide an acceptable amount of acidity for canning, 1/4 cup is required. If necessary, taste and add additional vinegar or lemon juice.
8)Freezing
Once the sauce has cooled, pour it into freezer bags or containers. Before freezer burn or off-flavors appear, sauce can be stored in the freezer for at least three months.
9)Canning
Pour the hot sauce into canning jars that have been sterilized. Place fresh, sterile lids on top, then tighten the rings until they are finger-tight. Process for 30 minutes in a kettle of boiling water. Allow the sauce to cool fully on the counter. If any lids don’t shut all the way (they will invert and create a vacuum seal), store it in the refrigerator for consumption within a week or freeze it for up to three months. Tomato sauce in a can keeps for at least a year in the pantry.
Key Steps for Tomato Sauce
