We enjoy canning our own homemade tomato sauce to use throughout the winter and spring season when tomatoes are no longer in-season here in Pennsylvania.

 

Canning your own sauce is not difficult and you will need your basic home canning supplies such as: a water bath canner, quart-sized canning jars with rings and seals, funnel, ladle and a jar lifter. If you don't own these supplies, you can purchase them in a complete kit at your local kitchen shop or via a reputable online kitchen store that carries home canning supplies.

 

In the following recipe, I used fresh basil and parsley that I grew in my garden, however...you can certainly use dried herbs if that is what you have on hand. You will want to start out with ripe to very ripe (but not blemished) red tomatoes.

 

To Blanch Tomatoes: Bring a large stock pot with water to a full boil. Place a few tomatoes into the water for 60 seconds. Using a pair of tongs or your ladle, remove tomatoes and place in cold water for 5 minutes. You should now be able to easily peel off the skins.

 

Basil Tomato Sauce Recipe

 

3 tablespoons olive oil

 

3 onions, minced

 

3 garlic cloves, minced

 

3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

 

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

 

25 large fresh tomatoes

 

2 teaspoons table salt

 

2 teaspoons black pepper

 

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

 

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon beef bouillon

 

Measure out and add your olive oil to a large nonstick stock pot. Over medium heat, stir in the minced onions and garlic and saute them in the oil for 1 minute. Stir in the chopped basil and chopped parsley. Turn heat down to low.