Jarring your own tomatoes when they are at the peak of ripeness is ideal. Here we used 100 pounds of tomatoes, which yielded 40 jars. It takes us the better part of the day, but the reward is that a jar of sauce is always on hand for a quick pizza, to pour over pasta, lasagna or use with a rice dish. We know how it was made. Plus it’s a fun bonding project to do with someone you want to spend time with. The jars also make lovely gifts. We also make a few jars with just the plum tomatoes, peeled and squished down into the jars and covered with tomato water. Since the tomatoes are jarred at their peek, they make a great addition to a winter stew or quinoa dish at a time of the year when you cannot find fresh local tomatoes.
One year, I added too much garlic which rendered the sauce a bit bitter, so be careful. Flavors can change over time in the jars, so better to add more spices or garlic later when you are ready to use the sauce.
You’ll want to shop around for the best price and look for tomatoes that are not too mushy but also soft and ripe. The larger the tomato, the less peeling. We found tomatoes from one vendor at a local Brooklyn farmer's market for only $1 a pound. They were great. There were other vendors charging as much as $2.80 a pound.
Here is a recipe for making 6 jars which will require about 15 pounds of tomatoes.
– 12 pounds of ripe plum tomatoes
– 2 cloves of garlic, chopped or use a garlic press
– a few basil leaves, chopped
– 3 TBSP olive oil
– Salt and pepper to taste
– 6 mason jars
- 3 tsps of lemon juice
– Jarring utensils like thongs, funnel, a large pot with lid, dishtowels, ladle, colander or strainer with handle. Also an immersion blender.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, score each tomato with an X on the end to make it easier for the skin to come off after it comes out of the water.
Prepare an ice bath. Place one third of the tomatoes (4 of your 12 pounds) into the boiling water for about a minute (a few more seconds if the tomatoes are firm or extra large). Using a small colander, scoop the tomatoes out of the pot and place into ice bath. Place the peeled tomatoes into a bowl. Repeat the process for remainder of tomatoes. Be sure you do not leave the tomatoes to sit long in the ice bath. We did that one year and ended up with the tomatoes absorbing too much water. Repeat with the next 2/3 of tomatoes.
Add olive oil and garlic to a large pot. Once the garlic turns golden, add the tomatoes. I sometimes halve them as I toss them into the pot. Next bring the tomatoes to a gentle boil. Spoon out any excess water that rises to the top of the pot. Use an immersion blender to tun the tomatoes into a sauce. Bring to boil, add salt, and then reduce heat to a medium simmer. Covered, with tilted lid and cook for 45 minutes to an hour. Add chopped basil in last few minutes of cooking and add more salt and pepper then too.
Line up jars along counter and using a funnel, pour sauce into each jar, filling so there is no more then a half an inch of space to the top. Also check for air bubbles. These can be pushed down and popped with a knife or chopstick. Make sure rims of jars do not have any tomato splatter. Place a 1/2 tsp of lemon juice into each jar before closing. Place bands and lids on top taking care to not touch rubber part of lid. There is a magnetic tool to lift the lids on that comes with most jarring kits that you can use. Be sure to double check that each jar is tight.
Boil water and place the jars into boiling water. Be sure the jars are fully immersed, and continue to boil in the covered pot for 40 minutes. Remove each jar with tongs and place on counter to cool. Label the lid with the date so you remember to consume within a year. Does not require refrigeration, but store in a cool dark place. The jars can be reused each year, but you’ll need new bands which can be purchased separately.