# How do you make tomato sauce?



## chris629 (Mar 15, 2005)

I am going to be making and canning my own tom sauce this yr so I was looking for some ways on how to do it. 
Thanks!


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## Haggis (Mar 15, 2005)

I take it we are talking about tomato sauce for pasta, meatballs etc and not tomato sauce the condiment?

My favourite tomato sauce is:

4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
3 x 420g tins of good quality whole roma/plum tomatoes
4 tsp dried oregano
2 tbsp red wine vinegar (I like mine with a bit more)
alot of fresh of basil, and then some more
olive oil
e-v olive oil
black pepper, salt


Throw some olive oil in a deep fry-pan and fry the minced garlic softly until softened, do not brown it though. Add in your tins of tomatoes but leave the tomatoes whole. Add in the oregano and chilli if you are using it. 

Bring the mixture to the boil then reduce heat and very slowly simmer it for around an hour or so. Add the vinegar then stir and crush the tomatoes until as chunky as you like. Season it to your liking. Throw in the basil and stir to combine then add a good drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.

Done.


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## Yakuta (Mar 16, 2005)

Haggis gave you a good recipe to make tomato sauce with canned tomatoes.  I am not sure if you are looking for a tomato sauce from scratch (that is one made from fresh tomatoes). 

Anyway if you want to do this from scratch here is the recipe. 

Use plum tomatoes or any other tomatoes you go in your garden.  First wash them and then chop them roughly (without peeling) into chunks.  Now place them in a dutchoven and keep them on medium to low heat covered until they are completely soft and cooked (don't add any water as the tomatoes will give out plenty as they cook down).  

Once the tomato mush cools down a bit seive them through a food mill.  Discard the skin and seeds and all you will get is rich tomato puree.  You can now further cook this down with some herbs and spices and then follow the canning guidelines to store it.


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## DampCharcoal (Mar 16, 2005)

My recipe is much the same as Haggis' except that I don't use the vinegar and I coarsely chop fresh Romas and then pulse them in a blender a few times. I then add the rest of the ingredients and slow cook at low temperature.


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## Haggis (Mar 16, 2005)

I generally use canned tomatoes in all my tomato sauces (generally because I make a 'complex' tomato sauce, rather than a fresh one) because it is easy to find a good Italian brand of canned tomatoes that you know are going to be made from tomatoes picked at the high point of the season. This gets rid of the problem of making tomato sauces from the fairly dull tomatoes you get during the autumn-winter-early spring period. 

Although if I'm making a fresh sauce (that with little amounts of cooking and not the layers of ingredients such as in the other one) then I will try to get my hands on some nice vine-ripened tomatoes (not the run of the mill, gassed till their red ones that taste more of water than tomato) in winter, at least they are going to be better tasting.


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## marmalady (Mar 16, 2005)

When I canned my own tomatoes and sauce, I would buy by the bushel, the 'dead ripe' plum tomatoes from the farmer's markets, then - 

Wash all thoroughly, cut off the top stem end, cut in half, and place in a big stockpot; add just a tiny bit of water, and salt - remember to salt according to your quantity! A tsp. of salt won't cut it with a half-bushel of tomatoes! Bring to a boil, mash as much down with a potato masher as you can, then turn it down to a simmer. Let it cook out until everything is 'mushy', about 30-45 minutes. 

Set up your food mill or strainer over a large pot in the sink. Ladle the tomatoes into the mill, and strain to remove all the seeds and skin. (Note - I have one ooooold Italian method that says to take the seeds and skin, put them in another pot with a little water, cook those down, and then add to the sauce!) 

After you've done this, your kitchen will look like a blood bath, and you'll have a pot of somewhat watery, but smooth, tomato sauce. Put this pot on the stove on low heat - use a diffuser, you DO NOT want to burn this! - and let it cook down until it begins to evaporate some of the water, and takes on a more 'tomato saucy' thickness.

Now you're ready for the canner - follow canning instructions re filling and processing.

My notes - I always canned my sauce plain, so I could use it and season it according to the recipes I was using at the time. 

Happy Cooking!


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## jennyema (Mar 17, 2005)

marmalady said:
			
		

> My notes - I always canned my sauce plain, so I could use it and season it according to the recipes I was using at the time.
> 
> Happy Cooking!


 

I've never canned my sauce, just froze the stuff.  But that's a really good idea!


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## buckytom (Mar 17, 2005)

remember, do not add meat of any kind to tomato sauce if you are water bath canning. you'll have to steam/pressure can if you want meat sauce.

for my basic sauce, aka sugo di pomodoro, i use 2 large (32 oz. i think) cans of whole peeled muir glen brand (american) or imported san marzano tomatoes, 2 large cans of crushed tomatoes.
the crushed go into a stock pot, the whole tomatoes are squished by hand into the pot on medium-low heat.
***edited*** oops, i forgot to add 2 small cans of tomato paste.
in a skillet, sautee 4 or 5 smashed and chopped cloves of garlic in 2 tbsps evoo on medium heat until it begins to turn golden (not dark brown); add to tomatoes. next, sautee 2 baseball sized diced onions in evoo on medium high heat until it browns, then into the stockpot. deglaze the skillet with about a cup of red wine, and add to the sauce.
add 3 heaping tbsps dry oregano, 2 tbsps fresh ground pepper and 1 tbsp sea salt. stir frequently and simmer on a low bubble until it has reduced about a third of it's volume.

that's it. now you have the basic sauce, to which you can add veggies like green bell pepper, halved or quartered button mushrooms, sliced zucchini rounds, etc..

you can also add (browned in evoo): italian pork sausages, meatballs, pork rib ends or sirloin chops, veal shoulder blade chops, or even split chicken breasts, legs, and thighs.
just remember, don't water bath can it if it has meat in it.


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## norgeskog (Mar 20, 2005)

I have never canned, but I make my own tomatoe sauce and keep in fridge or freeze and/or use now. I use 1 lb roma tomatoes, 1 red, yellow or orange bell peppers (or a combination), and a bermuda onion, 2 cloves of garlic. Half the tomatoes, quarter the pepper(s) and bermuda onion. Mince garlic sprinkle over the cut vegies which have been placed on a piece of parchment paper on top of a baking sheet. Sprinkle with evoo to coat and toss until covered, s/p to taste and sprinkle dried oregano, basil and parsley to taste on top. Roast in oven until peppers and onions crisp tender. Remove from oven and when cool enough to touch, gently remove skins from pepper(s) and tomatoes. Squeeze by hand into a saucepan, cut the onions and peppers into small pieces (or chop in food processor). Add some evoo and tomatoe paste, and water and/or wine and simmer. Adjust seasonings.


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## chris629 (Mar 22, 2005)

Thanks so much girls!  Yeah I just want to make reg tom sauce so I can use it in chili, spag sauces, then any recipe that calls for it but the seasoned recipes sound good and I might make a few of those also. 
Ok now what exactly is a food mill?  I am wanting to make grape jelly from my grapevine and my mil told me to use a food mill but I have no idea what that is.  
Also is a dutch oven just a pan with a good seal? I am not sure I have one. You would think I have never cooked before, but whenever a recipe calls for one I just get out a pan with a lid to it and use that. 
You girls are great, thanks again!


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## VegOut (Mar 26, 2005)

What a great resipe! I am going to try that myself


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## choclatechef (Mar 26, 2005)

When I made my own tomato sauce, I used fresh ripe tomatoes from my over productive garden. 

I wash them, cut off the top stem end, cut in pieces, and throw them in a pot adding some water, chopped onion, chopped celery, maybe some chopped peppers, or even at times some chopped carrots, and salt. I let it simmer, and as the tomatoes became cooked, I mash them. I let this cook til everything is done to my satisfaction. edited to say, I probably cook this longer than anyone else would to get as much flavor as possible from the skins, etc.

Then, I run everything through a blender or food processor, and then strain. Back to the stove it goes over low heat til it is of the thickness I like. Then I usually freeze the sauce in ice cube trays and then put the cubes in zip lock bags.


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## Alix (Mar 27, 2005)

I just saw on TV someone who suggested that you wash and prep your tomatoes as usual. Place the tomato pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle them with some coarse salt. Then place them in a warm oven until mushy. Then buzz in a food processor if you wish. I think I will try this out and see how it goes.


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## tancowgirl2000 (Mar 27, 2005)

Wouldnt they then become Dry Roasted???  Is that how they do it???


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## Alix (Mar 27, 2005)

I don't think so. I think they would mush up nicely, not get dried out. I will try it and let you know.


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## tancowgirl2000 (Mar 27, 2005)

K i think that came out wrong.....wait...WHAT the heck am I trying to say????  hmmmm**scratching head**  Maybe just roasted....oh I dont know ALix....yes they would mush up good but the flavor...ok...that's it IM LEAVING!


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## Alix (Mar 27, 2005)

See what happens when you get up too early? Go have more coffee.


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## norgeskog (Mar 28, 2005)

Alix said:
			
		

> I just saw on TV someone who suggested that you wash and prep your tomatoes as usual. Place the tomato pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle them with some coarse salt. Then place them in a warm oven until mushy. Then buzz in a food processor if you wish. I think I will try this out and see how it goes.


 
I have a similar recipe posted somewhere here, but I halve the tomatoes and sprinkle with fresh garlic, parsley, and a small amount of marjoram and oregano, and also roast red or yellow quarered peppers and a quartered onion, then blend and toss with EVOO,  and peelings fall right off.


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## tancowgirl2000 (Mar 28, 2005)

Coffee was not the answer Alix.....I think the nap did it for me...the house was SO quiet with the rug rats fast asleep as I was......still no insight on it though....brain fart


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## Alix (Mar 28, 2005)

I hate it when that happens Tanis. It hurts!


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## norgeskog (Mar 29, 2005)

tancowgirl2000 said:
			
		

> Coffee was not the answer Alix.....I think the nap did it for me...the house was SO quiet with the rug rats fast asleep as I was......still no insight on it though....brain fart


 
Love your avatar tancowgirl.  I my family's native country, Norway, beer and wine are another food group, guess some of us are in Canada.


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## tancowgirl2000 (Mar 30, 2005)

We tend to like beer here too....nothing like a cold brewsky!!!  mmmm beeeeeeeerrrr!!!


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## Spice1133 (Mar 30, 2005)

Lots of great sauces everyone posted.  I do think fresh basil is a must for tomato sauce.  3 or 4 good sized leaves chopped fine should do it. My little basil plant I bought 2 months ago was in a 2" x 2" pot, transplanted it to a 8 inch diameter one and it's crowding that.  My neighbors have taken to hiding when they see me coming with something green.  and my freezer has enough to last a long time.  Anyone want some basil?


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