The Best Tomato Sauce! Tomato Basil Sauce

I've been on a quest to find the best canned tomato sauce that you can use straight from the jar without adding anything. Something for a quick easy meal. I think I found a keeper.  This recipe, Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce comes from "Better Homes and Garden Special Interest Publication: Canning," with some of my own additions.  Never adjust or admit the lemon juice.  This ensure you have the proper acidity to use a water bath canner.  Herbs you can adjust to your liking.

Last night I breaded some tenderized chicken and just dumped the sauce on top and baked it.  The last 10 minutes I added a slice of Mozzarella cheese on top.  I cooked pasta to go with it.  It was an easy and delicious chicken Parmesan.  This sauce is great on any pasta, my family likes spirals or on zucchini, eggplant, or pasta mixed with sautéed zucchini.

Tomato Basil Pasta Sauce

• 12 lbs peeled tomatoes
• 3 Tbs packed brown sugar
• 2 Tbs salt
• 1 Tbs balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp ground black pepper

To peel tomatoes, submerge them in a pot of boiling water until the skins split.  I put them on a large cookie sheet as I remove them from the water.

• 2 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves or 2/3 dried basil
• 1 cup lightly packed assorted fresh herbs such as oregano, thyme, Italian flat leafed parsley or 1/3 dried herbs.
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 to 1 Tbs crushed red pepper
• 6 Tbs lemon juice. 1 Tbs is added to each pint jar
• 1/2 cup Clear Jel
• 2 small cans tomato paste to thicken

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Any tomato can be used.  Paste tomatoes require less cooking time to reduce the sauce but a mixture of tomatoes offers a great combination of taste.

• Put peeled tomatoes in a small batches in a food processor and pulse.  Do not over process
• Place in a stock pot.
• Add brown sugar, salt, vinegar, and pepper to tomatoes bring to boil for 60 minutes.
• When reduced, stir in remaining herbs and crushed red pepper
• Mix a small amount of sauce with the Clear Jel and whisk til smooth and then add to tomatoes along with 2 small cans of tomato paste.  Simmer till sauce thickens.

Basil, oregano, and parsley from the herb garden.

• Add 1 Tbs of lemon juice to clean pint jars.
• Ladle hot sauce into jars leaving 1/4 inch head space

• Wipe the rims and adjust lids

• Process in a boiling water canner for 35 minutes adjust time  for altitude. In New Harmony add 10 minutes to the time.

• Remove lid of canner when time is up and leave jars for 10 minutes in canner before removing them to cool

• Remove jars to cool and check for a seal.

I like using a crock pot to reduce sauces.  I feel like I can leave the sauce and get something else done.  On a stove top you cannot do that. Just remember to stir occasionally. I do not do that with this sauce but if it is more convenient for you to do this it works well.

 You can add one cup of snipped sun dried tomatoes that you dried yourself to add to the tomato flavor.  Do not use sun dried tomatoes in oil.  

Meet the Heirloom Tomatoes Meant for Sun Drying!

I love that this recipe uses so many herbs from the garden.  I like that the seasoning out of the jar does not require any additional adjustment.  My family agrees this is a great canning choice for tomatoes.

The Italian seasoned tomatoes below is another favorite.  I do add additional seasonings to this depending on the recipe I am using.

Italian Seasoned Tomatoes