Canned Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

• 21 lb (9.5 kg) tomatoes for about 9 pints thin sauce, or 35 lb (15.9 kg) for about 7 quarts thin sauce
• Bottled lemon juice: 1 tbsp per pint or 2 tbsp per quart, OR citric acid: 1/4 tsp per pint or 1/2 tsp per quart
• Canning salt, optional: 1/2 tsp per pint or 1 tsp per quart

Instructions

1. 1

   Wash tomatoes, remove stems and damaged areas, quarter and heat while crushing until boiling. Simmer 5 minutes, then press through a food mill or sieve to remove skins and seeds.

2. 2

   Return the tomato pulp to a wide saucepan. Simmer until reduced by about one-third for thin sauce or by half for thick sauce, stirring often to prevent scorching.

3. 3

   Add the required bottled lemon juice or citric acid to each hot jar. Add optional salt if desired.

4. 4

   Fill hot jars with boiling sauce, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Wipe rims and apply lids.

5. 5

   Process in a boiling-water canner. Pints: 35 min at 0–1,000 ft; 40 min at 1,001–3,000 ft; 45 min at 3,001–6,000 ft; 50 min above 6,000 ft. Quarts: 40, 45, 50 or 55 min at those same altitude bands.

6. 6

   Cool undisturbed 12–24 hours, check seals and label.