How To Can Tomato Sauce - The Perfect Beginner’s Recipe
I remember my first time canning like it was yesterday - I had little experience gardening or canning, but the desire was always there since I was a little girl, watching my aunt Mary in awe as she canned delicious produce.
And so, as I grew older and when we moved out to the country, the thought of having fresh homemade tomato sauce for pizza mid-winter motivated me to learn the beautiful art of canning.
My aunt Mary visited me a few years ago, and gave me the 101 on canning. We canned my very first tomato sauce together. The seed was planted, and I have never stopped canning since!
Canning tomato sauce with my aunt Mary was the perfect way for me to learn as a beginner, and I want to show you, too, how to can tomato sauce in 10 easy steps!
How to can tomato sauce in 10 easy steps
This canning tomato sauce recipe is fresh, full of flavor, easy, and perfect for any beginner to master the art of canning!
It is the perfect way to turn your tomato harvest into a fresh homemade tomato sauce that you can use in your favorite dishes throughout the year.
Prep: 30 minutes
Processing Time: Pint jars for 35 minutes and quart jars for 40 minutes.
Makes: About one to multiple jars
You'll Need
Tomatoes, cored
Ball® Citric Acid or bottled lemon juice
Salt (optional)
Dried herbs (optional)
Ball® Pints (16 oz) or Quart (32 oz) jars
Directions
Prep:
1. Prepare your jars and lids by washing them with warm, soapy water and drying them. Don't forget to inspect them for nicks, cracks, uneven rims, or sharp edges that may prevent sealing or cause jar breakage.
2. Fill your water bath canner with enough water to cover jars by 1-2 inches and bring to a simmer. Keep your jars in the hot water (not boiling) until you are ready to add the food content.
3. Prepping your food items takes time, so look at the recipe to determine what preparations you can do before starting the actual canning process. This way, you will have everything ready to use as you go through the recipe steps.
Cook:
4. Quarter 6 tomatoes and place in a large stainless steel sauce saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Using a potato masher, crush the tomatoes to release their juices, stirring constantly.
While maintaining a boil and stirring to prevent burning, add additional tomatoes to the saucepan as you work. Ensure the mixture continues to boil vigorously while you add, stir, and crush the remaining tomatoes.
When all the tomatoes have been added, simmer, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are soft and juicy, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
5. Working in batches, press tomatoes through a fine sieve, food mill, or Victorio strainer to remove skins and seeds. Discard the skins and seeds.
6. Return the mixture to the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium-high and boil until volume is reduced by at least one-third for a thin sauce. For a thicker sauce, cook until reduced by half.
Canning:
7. Before filling each jar with tomato sauce, add the following ingredients to the hot jar in the quantity specified below:
Lemon juice or citric acid:
Pint: ¼ tsp Ball® Citric Acid or 1 Tbsp bottled lemon juice
Quart: ½ tsp Ball® Citric Acid or 2 Tbsp bottled lemon juice
Add salt (optional) in quantity specified below:
Pint: ½ tsp
Quart: 1 tsp
Add dried herbs (optional) to each jar
Take Note!
Tomatoes have a variable pH that usually falls somewhere in the mid-range. This is why it is crucial to add acid and follow the recipe precisely, so it is safely processed.
Always use bottled lemon juice as the acid level is more consistent than fresh lemon juice, which can vary.
8. Ladle the sauce into pre-heated jars one at a time, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust the headspace, if necessary, by adding more sauce.
Wipe the rim and center lid on the jar. Screw the band down until resistance is met, then increase to fingertip-tight.
9. Place the jars in a canner, ensuring they are completely covered with water. Bring to a boil and process pint jars for 35 minutes and quart jars for 40 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
10. Remove the canner lid. Wait 5 minutes, then remove jars with a jar lifter and place them on a wood board or kitchen towel. Do not tamper with the lids; let them cool down for 12-24 hours.
canning tomato sauce tips
What are the best tomatoes for tomato sauce?
The best tomatoes for tomato sauce have a meaty texture, little to no seeds, the perfect balance of sweet and acidic, and a high juice content. Some of the best varieties to use include Roma, San Marzano, Viva Italia, Amish Paste, Giulietta, and Big Mama.
Whichever variety you choose, always use the freshest tomatoes that have no dents and brown spots and are at their ripeness peak.
How many tomatoes are needed for canning tomato sauce?
For each quart jar of thin sauce, you'll need about 5 lbs of tomatoes.
For a thin sauce, you'll need an average of 35 lbs of tomatoes to produce 7 quart jars of sauce.
For a thick sauce, you'll need an average of 46 lbs to yield 7 quart jars.
Using herbs in homemade tomato sauce
Dried basil, oregano, rosemary, thyme, and Italian seasoning mixes are excellent seasonings for this sauce. Use those that your family loves.
Add the dried herbs to each jar rather than trying to season the entire batch of tomatoes. Start with 1/2 tsp per pint jar - you can always add more when using the sauce.
You can also add a fresh basil leaf to each jar. Just remember to use only fresh, unblemished leaves that have been thoroughly rinsed.
You can always season a jar after opening it. Do not change the recipe as it can change the acidity of the content you are preserving.
How long does canned tomato sauce last?
Homemade canned tomato sauce can last for at least 18 months if you have canned it correctly according to a tried and trusted recipe (like this one!).
To ensure it stays fresh for many months, keep the jars in a cool, dry location, out of direct sunlight. Before opening, test your seal; if it's still intact, your sauce is safe to eat.
Look out for any obvious signs that your tomato sauce has gone bad:
Appearance of mold
Bulging lids
A lid that has lost its seal
A jar with visible seepage (coming from the lid)
Food that has an odd color
Food that has a strange smell
Any film or slime covering the top of the food
A lid that moves when you press on the top
After opening a high-acid canned food, like tomato sauce, store it in the fridge and use it within five to seven days.
canning course
Still unsure about this whole canning thing and process?
Do you still have canning fears and questions?
Want to learn all there is to know about how to can food and become a canning expert?
Then you might want to get my CANNING COURSE in partnership with Ball® home canning!
Whether you are a total newbie (we have all been there!) or would like to improve your canning skills, this canning course is IT!
After this course, canning will feel like a breeze, and you will be an expert canner, making delicious canning recipes for many years to come.
You will learn everything you need to know about how to can food effectively and safely at home, overcoming any fears or doubts you may have.
THE COURSE INCLUDES:
*A total of 25 informative, interactive videos taking you from start to finish,
covering everything there is to know about canning.
*The do's and don'ts of canning.
*Your most common canning questions answered and fears addressed.
*The best practices and tips for perfect canning.
*Five of my favorite delicious canning recipes that are great for beginners.
*An e-book with over 30 pages of information and recipes to guide you through the course.
The course is included in our HOMEGROWN membership platform.
By signing up, you'll have access to the canning course plus our gardening course,
how to raise chickens course, and many more!
For a small fee of $5.99/month or $49 for the year, you have years of experience, trial and error, and knowledge right at your fingertips.
Now you know how to can tomato sauce and become the expert canner you always wanted to be!
If you stick to a tried and trusted recipe and follow the exact steps, I promise you you will have an amazing end result! This canning tomato recipe will be a favorite for many years to come!
Love, Annette xx