Tomato Sauce
Quantity: For thin sauce – An average of 35 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 21 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 53 pounds and yields 10 to 12 quarts of sauce-an average of 5 pounds per quart.
For thick sauce – An average of 46 pounds is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 28 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. A bushel weighs 53 pounds and yields 7 to 9 quarts of sauce-an average of 6½ pounds per quart.
Procedure: Prepare and press as for making tomato juice. Wash, remove stems, and trim off bruised or discolored portions. To prevent juice from separating, quickly cut about 1 pound of fruit into quarters and put directly into saucepan. Heat immediately to boiling while crushing. Continue to slowly add and crush freshly cut tomato quarters to the boiling mixture. Make sure the mixture boils constantly and vigorously while you add the remaining tomatoes. Simmer 5 minutes after you add all pieces. If you are not concerned about juice separation, simply slice or quarter tomatoes into a large saucepan.
Simmer in large-diameter saucepan until sauce reaches desired consistency Boil until volume is reduced by about one-third for thin sauce, or by one-half for thick sauce.
Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to jars: To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed, or juiced tomatoes, add two tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use one tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling with product. Add sugar to offset acid taste, if desired. Four tablespoons of a 5 percent acidity vinegar per quart may be used instead of lemon juice or citric acid. However, vinegar may cause undesirable flavor changes.
Add 1 teaspoon of salt per quart to the jars, if desired. Fill jars, leaving ¼-inch headspace. Adjust lids and process. Recommended process times are given in Table 1, Table 2, and Table 3.
(*Acidification is still required for the pressure canning options; follow all steps in the Procedures above for any of the processing options.)
| Table 1. Recommended process time for Standard Tomato Sauce in a boiling-water canner. | |||||
| Process Time at Altitudes of | |||||
| Style of Pack | Jar Size | 0 - 1,000 ft | 1,001 - 3,000 ft | 3,001 - 6,000 ft | Above 6,000 ft |
| Hot | Pints | 35 min | 40 | 45 | 50 |
| Quarts | 40 | 45 | 50 | 55 | |
| Table 2. Recommended process time for Standard Tomato Sauce in a dial-gauge pressure canner | ||||||
| Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of | ||||||
| Style of Pack | Jar Size | Process Time | 0 - 2,000 ft | 2,001 - 4,000 ft | 4,001 - 6,000 ft | 6,001 - 8,000 ft |
| Hot | Pints or Quarts |
20 min | 6 lb | 7 lb | 8 lb | 9 lb |
| 15 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | ||
| Table 3. Recommended process time for Standard Tomato Sauce in a weighted-gauge pressure canner. | ||||
| Canner Gauge Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes | ||||
| Style of Pack | Jar Size | Process Time | 0 - 1,000 ft | Above 1,000 ft |
| Hot | Pints or Quarts |
20 min | 5 lb | 10 lb |
| 15 | 10 | 15 | ||
| 10 | 15 | Not Recommended | ||
From the "Complete Guide to Home Canning," Agriculture Information Bulletin No. 539, USDA, revised 2006.
*If a procedure from the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning for canning tomatoes offers both boiling water and pressure canning options, all steps in the preparation ("Procedure") are still required even if the pressure processing option is chosen. This includes acidification. The boiling water and pressure alternatives are equal processes with different time/temperature combinations calculated for these products.