Canned Tomato Sauce

Shelf-stable, water-bath — a plain acidified tomato sauce that keeps a year

~4–5 pints · 45 min

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~10–12 lb ripe tomatoes (paste tomatoes give the thickest sauce)
bottled lemon juice — 1 Tbsp per pint / 2 Tbsp per quart (or ¼ tsp citric acid per pint / ½ tsp per quart)
½ tsp salt per pint (optional, flavor only)

What you need

~10–12 lb ripe tomatoes (paste tomatoes give the thickest sauce)

bottled lemon juice — 1 Tbsp per pint / 2 Tbsp per quart (or ¼ tsp citric acid per pint / ½ tsp per quart)

½ tsp salt per pint (optional, flavor only)

Cook down the tomatoes. Wash, core, and quarter the tomatoes; simmer in a big pot until soft, ~20 min, stirring so they don't scorch.
Mill out skins & seeds. Run the softened tomatoes through a food mill or sieve, then return the smooth purée to the pot.
Reduce. Simmer, stirring, until it thickens to a sauce you like — usually reduced by a third to a half. The longer it goes, the thicker the jar.
Acidify every jar — the safety step. Into each hot, sanitized jar put the bottled lemon juice (1 Tbsp/pint, 2 Tbsp/quart) and the optional salt. Use bottled lemon juice, not fresh — its acidity is consistent.
Fill & seal. Ladle the hot sauce in, leaving ½″ headspace. Slide a spatula around to release bubbles, wipe the rims clean, set lids, and screw bands finger-tight.
Water-bath process. Lower jars into boiling water (1″ over the tops) and process pints 35 min / quarts 40 min at sea level — add time for altitude (about +5 min per 1,000 ft above 1,000). Turn off, wait 5 min, lift out.
Cool & check. Cool undisturbed 12–24 hr; press each lid — sealed lids don't flex. Label and shelf them; refrigerate any that didn't seal.

Steps — tap one to keep your place

1. Cook down the tomatoes. Wash, core, and quarter the tomatoes; simmer in a big pot until soft, ~20 min, stirring so they don't scorch.

2. Mill out skins & seeds. Run the softened tomatoes through a food mill or sieve, then return the smooth purée to the pot.

3. Reduce. Simmer, stirring, until it thickens to a sauce you like — usually reduced by a third to a half. The longer it goes, the thicker the jar.

4. Acidify every jar — the safety step. Into each hot, sanitized jar put the bottled lemon juice (1 Tbsp/pint, 2 Tbsp/quart) and the optional salt. Use bottled lemon juice, not fresh — its acidity is consistent.

5. Fill & seal. Ladle the hot sauce in, leaving ½″ headspace. Slide a spatula around to release bubbles, wipe the rims clean, set lids, and screw bands finger-tight.

6. Water-bath process. Lower jars into boiling water (1″ over the tops) and process pints 35 min / quarts 40 min at sea level — add time for altitude (about +5 min per 1,000 ft above 1,000). Turn off, wait 5 min, lift out.

7. Cool & check. Cool undisturbed 12–24 hr; press each lid — sealed lids don't flex. Label and shelf them; refrigerate any that didn't seal.

Low salt — salt at the end and taste as you go; broth, cheese, and canned goods already bring salt.