Small Batch Spaghetti Sauce For Canning
If you're a fan of spaghetti and want to enjoy it year-round, canning small batch spaghetti sauce is the perfect solution. Canning your own spaghetti sauce not only ensures that you have a fresh and delicious sauce whenever you want, but it also allows you to control the ingredients, making it healthier and more cost-effective than store-bought options.
Ingredients
Before you start canning, you need to gather all the necessary ingredients. For this small batch spaghetti sauce recipe, you'll need:
- 5 pounds of tomatoes
- 1 onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of dried basil
- 1 tablespoon of dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
Make sure to use fresh and ripe tomatoes for the best flavor. You can use any type of tomato, but Roma tomatoes are a popular choice for making spaghetti sauce.
Instructions
Once you have all the necessary ingredients, follow these steps to make your small batch spaghetti sauce for canning:
- Wash the tomatoes and remove the stem.
- Boil a pot of water and blanch the tomatoes for 30 seconds.
- Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and immediately place them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.
- Peel the skin off the tomatoes and chop them into small pieces.
- In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and garlic to the pot and cook until the onion is translucent.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and black pepper to the pot and stir to combine.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in the lemon juice and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the sauce cool slightly.
Now that your sauce is ready, it's time to start canning.
Canning
When canning your spaghetti sauce, it's important to follow proper canning procedures to ensure that the sauce is safe to eat and won't spoil. Here are the steps to canning your small batch spaghetti sauce:
- Prepare your jars and lids by washing them in hot soapy water and sterilizing them in boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Fill each jar with the spaghetti sauce, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace at the top.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean damp cloth.
- Place the lids on the jars and screw on the bands, tightening them just until they are snug.
- Place the jars in a canner and cover them with water, making sure that the water level is at least 1 inch above the tops of the jars.
- Bring the water to a boil and process the jars for 35 minutes for pints or 40 minutes for quarts.
- Remove the jars from the canner and let them cool on a wire rack for 12-24 hours.
- Check the seals on the jars by pressing down on the center of the lid. If it doesn't move, the jar is sealed.
- Store the jars in a cool, dry, and dark place for up to a year.
Now you have delicious and homemade spaghetti sauce that you can enjoy anytime!
Conclusion
Canning your own small batch spaghetti sauce is a great way to enjoy fresh and delicious sauce all year long. With just a few simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, you can create a healthy and cost-effective alternative to store-bought sauces. Plus, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing exactly what's in your sauce and how it was made. So give it a try and enjoy the taste of homemade spaghetti sauce!