Tomato Season is here what to do with all those wonderful San Marzano Tomatoes that are ripe. Canning Italian Tomato Sauce is perfect solution to bumper crop of tomatoes. The San Marzano tomatoes are the best flavor for making Italian Sauce.
Start first Mise en place
Mise en place is important part of canning process. Always have work space sanitized, and sterilize jars, lids and rims for canning. Be sure to wash all canning equipment, canner or large stock pot. Most efficient method is to get water boiling to sterilize jars, lids and rims. This takes some time to get up to boil and sterilize. While sterilize processing mise en place ingredients for sauce. The most time consuming process is blanching tomatoes and peeling skins off tomatoes.
Getting Processing done quickly
Processing the tomatoes after the skins are removed can be done quickly with aid of VitaMix Blender. Running the VitaMix Blender on low 5 speed setting works very well. Blend for short periods of time, just enough to chop tomatoes into slightly chunky sauce. Running VitaMix on too high of speed too long will turn into smooth puree. A smooth puree is fine if your making that type of sauce. My preference is having some texture to Italian Sauce. Blend tomatoes in small batches filling the blender container 1/2 full gives plenty of head room to process. Running the bender only 35 to 45 seconds making gallon sauce goes quickly.
A food processor works too but it is messy and having to deal with a sharp blade everytime you dump batch into stock pot. The extra hassle of using food processor takes more time then it’s worth.
Processing Tomatoes on speed 5 
Peeled San Marzano Tomatoes
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4 Quarts | 45 Minutes |
| Cook Time | Passive Time |
| 1 Hour | 2 1/2 Hours |
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Canning Italian Tomato Sauce recipe has a far better flavor profile by using San Marzano tomatoes. This recipe uses fresh tomatoes, sweet onions, sweet peppers, herbs, and lots of garlic with hint of pepper flakes. The Italian Tomato Sauce can be used in so many creative foods, from casseroles, meat sauces or in favorite spaghetti. Enjoy.
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- 7 Pound San Marzano Tomatoes Or Italian Plum tomatoes
- 2 Medium onions Chopped finely
- 8 Mini Sweet Peppers Seeded and chopped finely
- 12 Large garlic cloves Minced
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 12 Ounces tomato paste
- 2 Tablespoons oregano
- 2 Tablespoons basil
- 2 Tablespoons italian herbs
- 1 Teaspoons hot pepper flakes
- 4 Teaspoons kosher salt Season to taste
- 1 Teaspoons black pepper Season to taste
- 2 Teaspoons Citric Acid 1/2 teaspoon to each quart of sauce
- Core and blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 30 to 45 seconds. Shock in ice water bath, then peel skins off tomatoes. Set aside
- Place peeled tomatoes in VitaMix or food processer. Blend for 45 to 60 seconds on speed 5 or low. The tomatoes should be slightly textured not perfectly smooth.
- Peel and chopped onions finely. Set aside. Peel and mince garlic cloves, I use a large bulb of garlic per batch which produces very nice garlic flavor profile. Set aside
- Remove the stem and seeds from sweet mini peppers, then chop finely. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in 8 quart stock pot with minced garlic until fragrant. Then add the chopped onions and peppers cook for 2 to 4 minutes until fragrant and softened. This should take about 5 minutes total cooking time.
- Next add the processed tomatoes to cooked aromatics, cook over medium heat caution not to burn sauce. Add the tomato paste and stir well. The next step is to add the dry herbs and Stir often. Cook the Italian Sauce for hour to get best flavor.
- Wash all jars, lids and rings for canning. Bring large stock pot or canner with jars and lids and rings covered with water to boil. Boil jars, lids and rings for 10 minutes.
- Remove jars carefully with lifter draining all excess water off jar onto wire rack. Remove lids and rings onto paper towels.
- Fill each canning jar with hot Italian Tomato Sauce to 1/2 inch of the top of the jar. It's important to leave 1/2 air space to create a vacuum. Fill each jar using funnel to help keep jar clean. Note add 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid for quart jar or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid for pint jar of tomato sauce.
- Wipe each jar rim with paper towel dipped in white vinegar. This is to clean the top of each jar to achieve proper seal.
- Place on top of each jar lid and fasten down each lid with ring. Twisting ring until just snug.
- Place each jar in large stock pot or canner with water to just cover top of each jar. Bring water to boil for 15 minutes. Remove jars using jar lifter and place on wire rack to cool. Listen carefully for lids to click this means achieved proper seal.
- Check visualy for properly sealed jars the dimple on top of each jar should be depressed inwards. If not properly sealed the jar will have to be refrigerated and used within 2 weeks time. Or clean jar rim and reseal with new lid and go through water bath process again.
- Make a label for each jar of sauce and place on jar with tape or glue stick. Store Canned Italian Tomato Sauce in dry cool area with minimal light. These should be good for up to 2 years in dark area.
- Modified version on Italian Tomato Sauce, using only onions, more garlic, bay leaf, salt, pepper and sugar. Omitting bell peppers, Italian herbs, oregano, basil and chili flakes. This sauce still has wonderful flavor that is very versatile.
- Following same canning procedures, colors are more deeper red and bright.
