Heirloom Tomato Sauce- Canning

Finally the canning season has started!
  I’ve made two batches of this Heirloom Tomato sauce so far  using up to about 15lbs of tomatoes per batch. Seems like a lot, but it really isn’t when you look at the size and bulk of tomatoes. This recipe you can use any variety of tomatoes, and since my garden is full of different tasting heirlooms, it makes an incredible sauce!

Ingredients-
 16lbs heirloom tomatoes, any variety
36 garlic gloves, peeled and chopped
Fresh Thyme leaves from about 36 sprigs
3 cups Olive oil
6 cups onions chopped
6 cups dry white wine
12 stems fresh basil with leaves
salt and pepper to taste

* Halve the tomatoes and scoop the seeds out to a separate bowl. You will later send the pulp through the press, or food mill to get the juice *

Place tomato halves cut side up in a roasting pan that will hold a single later. Combine the thyme leaves with half the chopped garlic and cover the mixture evenly over the tomatoes. Drizzle half the olive oil over the tomatoes.
 Roast until the tomatoes are soft, about 35-40 minutes. Take them out and cool till they are lukewarm. Strain them through a food mill to remove the skins.
 Warm the remaining oil in a stainless steel pot and stir in onions and the remaining garlic. Cook over low heat for several minutes until it’s clean but not brown. Add wine, and turn the heat to medium to simmer about 15 minutes reducing the mixture by half.
 Using the seeds an pulp you scooped out, run it through the food mill, keeping the juice to add to the cooking mixture. Add the basil and a teaspoon or two of salt.

Bring the sauce to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes or until thickens (up to about 30 minutes) Stir often so the mixture on the bottom doesn’t burn or stick. Add more salt if needed and pepper to taste. Remove and discard basil, before canning process.

*Prepare your canning jars, lids and tops, as well as your water bath canner while the sauce is still cooking. The water bath process for this Sauce is 30 minutes. It made about 10 pint jars of sauce. You can find all my canning posts here.

Enjoy your canning season 🙂