Garden Tomato Sauce

Gather

Ingredients

• 21 pounds tomatoes for about 9 pints of thin sauce
• 9 tablespoons bottled lemon juice
• Canning salt (optional)

Preserve

Instructions

1. 01

   Wash the tomatoes, remove the stems, and trim away bruised or discolored portions.

2. 02

   Quarter about 1 pound of tomatoes. Heat quickly in a large saucepan, crushing as they soften. Add remaining quartered tomatoes gradually while maintaining a boil.

3. 03

   Simmer 5 minutes, then press the heated tomatoes through a sieve or food mill to remove skins and seeds.

4. 04

   Use a wide saucepan and boil, stirring to prevent scorching, until the volume drops by about one-third for thin sauce or one-half for thick sauce.

5. 05

   Add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice to each hot pint jar.

6. 06

   Ladle hot sauce into jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Add salt if desired.

7. 07

   Remove air bubbles, adjust headspace, wipe rims, and apply lids and bands.

8. 08

   Process pints in a boiling-water canner for 35 minutes (base time).
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