Fresh Picked Tomato Sauce Recipe from Scratch

Vine-ripened tomato sauce from scratch is easy to make and tastes out of this world. There are two ways to make homemade tomato sauce. Adding my homemade tomato paste is optional and skipping it will not compromise the flavor or body of this recipe.

Tomato sauce can be made with any mixture of tomatoes you have on hand. I make tomato sauce from heirloom, cherry and beefsteak tomatoes from our garden.

PRACTICE FOOD SAFETY

The USDA recommends using homemade tomato sauce within 2 DAYS to avoid harmful bacteria. 

Read USDA Food Safety Preservation Guides. 

A word of cation when using tomatoes: I do not can my tomato sauce as that requires advanced canning knowledge to avoid a deadly toxin known as botulism. Botulism is flavorless and odorless and impossible to detect so when in doubt throw it out.  

In order to use water bath canning you need to know exactly what type of tomato you have and its ph (acidity) to know whether it can safely be water-bath canned. Otherwise pressure canning is required to safely preserve. 

I always use my homemade tomato products within 2-days and follow food safety guidelines set by the National Center for Home Preservation:

Only boiling water or pressure canning methods are recommended for canning foods. Older methods, such as oven canning and open-kettle canning, have been discredited and can be hazardous (Equipment and Methods Not Recommended from the USDA Complete Guide to Canning). The risk of botulism poisoning determines the choice of either boiling water or pressure canners for canning foods. In foods that are acid (pH 4.6 or lower) the microorganism that causes botulism cannot grow. Therefore it is safe to use a boiling water bath canner. All other foods must be canned using tested pressure canning processes (Ensuring Safe Canned Foods). 

Tomatoes for many years were considered high acid. However, new varieties, over-mature fruits, and tomatoes from dead or frost-killed vines may have a pH greater than 4.6.   

METHOD 1

INGREDIENTS

4  pounds (8 cups) fresh tomatoes
1 red onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 bunch fresh basil, left intact
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 bay leaf

MAKE IT 

I boil, peel and seed my tomatoes, to further reduce risk of bacterial contamination. 

1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot, add the tomatoes to the boiling water for 1 minute. 

2. Place tomatoes in ice bath to cool.

3. Peel and seed tomatoes. 

4. Roughly chop, half the tomatoes, set aside.

5. In a 4-quart pot, heat oil and sauté the onions and spices until soft, over medium heat for 5-7 minutes;

6. Add the garlic and tomatoes and bay leaf to the pot of sautéed onions, bring to a simmer and cook for twenty minutes.

7. Season with salt to taste, remove from heat and run through a food mill (optional)

8. Add the basil before serving.

Use or store right away. Will last in fridge for 2 days or in the freezer* for three months.

 

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