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Making & Canning Thick Tomato Sauce, Pint Jars

This thick home canned tomato sauce is relatively easy to make. It a good basic sauce that will permit you to add desired herbs after opening.  Make sure to see other tomato canning recipes, including canning tomatoes in quart jars, low acid tomato sauce recipes or tomato sauce with meat at our Canning Tomatoes (Recipes) page.

Yields will vary based on the water content of the tomatoes.

Before beginning, wash tomatoes, cut away stems and discolored portion of tomatoes.

There are three options for preparing the tomatoes before canning this tomato sauce:

Option 1:

1. Blanch, peel and deseed the tomatoes.
2. Chop tomatoes.
3. Bring the tomatoes to a simmer and cook until reduced by one half.
4. Use a hand blender to eliminate chunks.

*Option 2:

1. Quarter or chop tomatoes.
2. Add tomatoes to a saucepan and bring to a simmer.
3. Crush tomatoes using a masher.
4. Press through a sieve or food mill to remove peels and seeds.
5. Return tomatoes to pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by one half.

*Option 3 - to avoid juice separation:

1. Quarter or chop the first pound of tomatoes and bring them to a vigorous boil and then crush them using a masher.
2. Maintain vigorous boil throughout process.
3. Continue quartering or chopping tomatoes, adding them to the boiling tomatoes and crush with each addition.
4. Press through a sieve or food mill to remove peels and seeds.
5. Return tomatoes to pan. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by one half.

For canning:

1. Add 1 tablespoon of bottled lemon juice to each empty pint canning jar, plus optional salt and pepper.
2. Canning using hot pack method with 1/2" of headspace
3. Processing with a Water Bath for 35 minutes for pint jars, at 212 degrees.
4. For elevations above 1,000 foot level see Altitude Time Adjustments.
5. After processing, place the jars on a towel, separated by 1" to cool.
6. Labeling and Storing

Equipment Needed:

• Food Mill
• Waterbath canner
• Lifting tool
• Canning funnel
• Large stove-top pot
• *Jars and lids
• Clean Cloth Towels
• Paper towels
• *See manufacturer's instructions

These instructions are adapted from the United States Department of Agriculture's Complete Guide to Home Canning.

Video 3: Home Canning Tomatoes, Home Canning Tomato Sauce,Home Canning Whole Tomatoes, Home Canning Crushed Tomatoes, Home Canning Salsa This third video will teach you how to use a waterbath canner for home canning tomatoes in several ways; home canning whole tomatoes, home canning diced tomatoes, home canning tomato sauces and home canning salsa.