Basic Tomato Sauce - Canning The Summer Produce - Bernardin Recipe - Quarantine 2020

The year, 2020, is the year we all became Alice in Wonderland. Nothing makes sense and everything feels foreign. You cannot believe what you see or read and the Queen of Hearts (villainous villain) wants to hurt everyone. 

That is why I hide in the kitchen, everything makes sense and I can control my world. Thank goodness for Willowtree Farm and their CSA. I can manage to have my produce delivered and avoid the potential dangers of shopping in markets. It's been a hard year for everyone, and our farmers are suffering as well. Please consider supporting them with your dollars as much as you can. 

This is a bushel of Roma tomatoes. I know it is late in the season to buy tomatoes but I had to just do it so I could prepare more for the pantry. In case we get locked down tight again. The second wave of the virus has begun where I live and I don't like the term "tsunami" that is being used by the officials. There have been shortages this year but it seems there is likely going to be more. Let us pray it is not so. 

I sent my beloved husband into the basement to fetch my big-guns equipment. It has not been in service for a few years. As you can see in the background of the photo above, this is a small electric tomato press. It removes all the skins and seeds. We processed 40 pounds of tomatoes with it. I lost quite a few pounds to quality while cleaning, coring, and halving them, but I expected that since the season is pretty much over. 

I got out my Bernardin Complete Book of Home Preserving (new and updated) and found a lovely basic tomato sauce recipe that worked beautifully with the number of tomatoes I had. I decided to stay simple and just do plain tomato sauce. I have the link for you for the recipe below:

https://www.bernardin.ca/recipes/en/tomato-sauce.htm?Lang=EN-US

The second piece of equipment I purchased 6 years ago for canning jobs was my Nestco 18 quart roaster. I adore this roaster but have little use for it on a regular basis. However! 2020 brings out the needs you foresaw potentially coming to fruition. 

I needed to cook the sauce down to thicken, so I added the tomato puree to the roaster and let it simmer at 250* for a few hours. It became the consistency I prefer in no time. I had not expected to can it up the same day I made it but that night I had to. So out came the 1L jars and new lids and my delightful Fruitfresh steam canner and the evening canning session began. 

It took 2 loads but it was done. All my jars sealed. I am happy to add this sauce to my winter pantry. Now for the apple sauce. 

Stay safe, stay home, help where you can.

~Cookin Mum ~