Large-Batch Fresh Tomato and Basil Sauce for Canning
MAKE THIS WITH: Le Creuset Stockpot
Ingredients:
10 lb ripe plum tomatoes
1 ⅔ large onions, peeled and diced
6–7 large garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 ⅔ large basil sprigs, plus 3–4 large leaves for jars
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
2 ½ tbsp brown sugar
3 ⅓ tsp kosher salt
3 ⅓ tsp dried oregano
⅓ to ¾ tsp red pepper flakes (adjust to taste)
3 tbsp lemon juice
Canning Equipment
4 wide-mouth 4-cup (1 litre) jars with canning lids and screw bands
Canning funnel
Tongs or jar lifter
Canning rack or clean dishcloth
Directions:
Wash all fresh ingredients thoroughly and remove any damaged or bruised parts. Make sure all cooking utensils are thoroughly cleaned.
Fill an 10-qt. Stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
Using a paring knife, make an incision in the shape of an “x” at the bottom of each tomato. Add the tomatoes to the boiling water in two batches and cook for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until the skin starts to come away from the flesh. Using a wire skimmer, remove the tomatoes and plunge directly into the ice water. Clean out the S tockpot.
Drain, peel and core the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half and remove the seeds. Coarsely chop the tomatoes.
In the clean Stockpot, bring the chopped tomatoes to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Coarsely crush the tomatoes with a potato masher. Add the remaining ingredients, except for the lemon juice, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 hours or until the sauce has thickened (see note), stirring occasionally and adjusting the temperature to ensure that the sauce is not burning on the bottom of the Stockpot.
Meanwhile, fill another Stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Carefully place four 4-cup (1 L) Mason-style jars into the boiling water. Turn off the heat and keep the jars warm. A few minutes before the sauce is ready, using tongs or a jar lifter, remove the jars from the water and place on a clean dishtowel to dry. Add 1 tbsp of the lemon juice to each jar.
Remove the basil sprigs from the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Using a canning funnel, ladle the hot sauce into the jars leaving ½ inch of space at the top of each jar (see note). Using a clean wooden or plastic utensil, stir the sauce to remove any air bubbles. Place one clean basil leaf in each jar.
Use a clean cloth dipped in lemon juice to clean up any spills around the rim of the jars. Seal the jars with clean canning lids and screw bands (do not seal the jars too tightly – seal them just to the point of resistance, then turn just a bit more).
Clean out one of the Stockpots. Fill with water and bring to a boil. Line the bottom of the Stockpot with a thin canning rack or clean dishtowel. Carefully lower the jars of sauce into the boiling water.
Cover the Stockpot with the lid and boil the jars of sauce for 40 minutes for altitudes of 1,000 feet or less. For higher altitudes, the boiling time will increase. The jars must stay upright during this process and must stay covered at all times by at least 1 inch of water.
Remove the Stockpot from the heat and remove the lid. Let the jars of sauce sit in the water for 5 minutes. Using Tongs or a jar lifter, remove the jars from the water and place on a clean dishcloth, making sure the jars do not touch each other. Let the jars sit undisturbed for 24 hours. During this time, you should hear the pop of the lids sealing onto the jars. If the lids are not secure, you will need to repeat the 40-minute boiling time with a new, clean lid.
Label and date the jars. The sauce will keep in the sealed jars in a cool, dry place for up to a year.
Notes
Depending on how juicy your tomatoes are and what consistency of sauce you prefer, you may want to simmer the sauce for longer.
Canning kits, which include a jar lifter, canning funnel and a tool to measure headspace will facilitate the canning process.
This recipe doubles easy. However, since only four 4-cup (1 litre) jars fit into the Stockpot at once, you will have to process the jars of sauce in two batches of 40 minutes each.