Oy. 10:05 pm on a Thursday night. Kids are asleep. And me…with a flat of raspberries and over 30 pounds of tomatoes. Something must be done tonight. The tomatoes are good. Both are good, but raspberries go quickly. They can mold fast once they've been picked. Keep 'em in the fridge.
So I've decided to tackle the raspberries first. A simple jam.
But even simple takes time. Currently the raspberries and sugar and getting to know one another…for the next hour.
In the meantime, I've decide to finally pen notes on the pasta sauce I canned three or so weeks ago. Given I'll be canning a boatload of it tomorrow, I might as well refresh my memory!
Canned Tomato Sauce
(makes six pint jars of tomato sauce)
10 lbs tomatoes, blanched and cored
2.5 cups finely chopped yellow onions
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1.5 tsp dried oregano
2 bay leaves
1tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes
Bottled lemon juice
I am assuming you have blanched a tomato before. If not…Here's a quick summary. Using a paring knife, core the tomatoes.
Cut an X at the butt of the tomato.This will help with peeling the tomato. Then, in batches, throw the tomatoes into a pot of boiling water for 30 seconds to a minute.
Transfer the tomatoes into a bowl (or sinkful) of ice water for another 30 seconds.
The skin will start to peel away and you can easily remove the skin (compost it!) and rough chop the tomatoes before throwing them into your stainless steele saucepan.
Bring the tomatoes to a boil over high heat. Stir in onions, garlic, spices and sugar.
Return to a boil, stirring occasionally.
Reduce heat to medium and stir frequently, until sauce reduces by half and thickens slightly.
If you want to remove tomato seeds (not necessary, but makes the appearance a little prettier) work the sauce, in batches, through a food mill. Return to sauce pan and bring to a full rolling boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
Add 1 tbsp lemon juice to each prepared pint jar (2 tbsp if you're using quart jars). Ladle hot sauce into jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Use a butter knife or similar to run along the sides of the jar, removing air bubbles.
Wipe rim, center lid on jar, and add screw band to fingertip tight.
Process in a canner bath for 35 minutes at sea level, more depending on altitude or larger size of jar.
Remove canner lid and let jars rest for 5 minutes before removing from the water.
Lift the jars out of the water and let them cool without touching or bumping them. Cool overnight. Once the jars have cooled, ensure they are sealed. Press down gently in the center of the lid. If it pops up and down (often making a popping sound), it is not sealed. Put the jar in the refrigerator and enjoy it for the next 3 – 4 weeks. If the lid remains taut, you've got a good seal.
This recipe is a modified version of Seasoned Tomato Sauce, from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.
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