Name: Summer Tomato Sauce
Total time: 4 h
Ingredients: 10 pounds tomatoes , cored, peeled, and cut into 1½-inch pieces; 4 garlic cloves , minced; ⅓ cup tomato paste; ⅓ cup chopped fresh basil; 1 tablespoon salt; 1 teaspoon sugar; ½ cup red wine vinegar

Why This Recipe Works

We loved the idea of canning a large batch of this fresh sauce so we could open up a jar on a dreary February night. While many rustic tomato sauce recipes include the skins, we found them bitter and their texture distracting from the final product. We infused the sauce with garlic and basil and cooked it down for a more vibrant, intensified flavor. In order to ensure the safety of canning this tomato product, we added 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar to each pint jar; this amount of vinegar ensured the sauce's pH was in the sweet spot. Just a teaspoon of sugar was enough to coax out the natural sweetness of the tomatoes and balance the acidity of the vinegar.

Before You Begin

While all types of tomatoes work with this recipe, we preferred this sauce made with plum tomatoes. One jar is enough sauce to coat ½ pound of pasta. For more richness, add a bit of extra-virgin olive oil to the sauce before serving. For more information on peeling tomatoes. For information on peeling tomatoes, see "Peeling Tomatoes" below.

Instructions

Set canning rack in large pot, place four 1-pint jars in rack, and add water to cover by 1 inch. Bring to simmer over medium-high heat, then turn off heat and cover to keep hot.

Working in 4 batches, process tomatoes in blender until almost smooth, 10 to 15 seconds; transfer to Dutch oven. Stir in garlic, tomato paste, basil, salt, and sugar, and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often and reducing heat as needed, until sauce has thickened and measures slightly more than 2 quarts, 1¼ to 1½ hours.

Place dish towel flat on counter. Using jar lifter, remove jars from pot, draining water back into pot. Place jars upside down on towel and let dry for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons vinegar to each hot jar. Using funnel and ladle, portion hot sauce into hot jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Slide wooden skewer along inside of jar to remove air bubbles and add more sauce as needed.

For short-term storage: Let jars cool to room temperature. Cover, refrigerate, and serve. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 month.) For long-term storage: While jars are hot, wipe rims clean, add lids, and screw on rings until fingertip-tight; do not overtighten. Return pot of water with canning rack to boil. Lower jars into water, cover, bring water back to boil, then start timer. Cooking time will depend on your altitude: Boil 35 minutes for up to 1,000 feet, 40 minutes for 1,001 to 3,000 feet, 45 minutes for 3,001 to 6,000 feet, or 50 minutes for 6,001 to 8,000 feet. Turn off heat and let jars sit in pot for 5 minutes. Remove jars from pot and let cool for 24 hours. Remove rings, check seal, and clean rims. (Sealed jars can be stored for up to 1 year.)