Tomato sauce and paste are two of the most popular condiments for making delicious pasta dishes and adding rich, tangy flavor to various recipes. But, I’m not fond of buying tomato sauce at the market with lots of preservatives since my Nana taught me about canning tomato sauce and paste. She showed me that it is possible to create delicious sauces in the comfort of your own home without having to rely on store-bought products that contain the unnecessary additive.

I absolutely adore the fact that I can economically preserve jars of homemade tomato sauce and paste without spending a fortune. Canning these delicious ingredients at home is actually quite economical, providing me with significant savings in comparison to purchasing them from the store. You can also share them with your friends and families.

Things to Consider When Canning Tomato Sauce and Paste

If you’re looking to save money by canning your own tomato sauce and paste, here are some of the invaluable insights I’ve gained from my grandmother

Always use the Freshest Tomatoes

When canning tomato sauce and paste, selecting only the freshest and ripest tomatoes is essential to achieve a perfect canned food. Nana always told me that choosing the right type of tomatoes is very important as they provide flavor and texture. Additionally, making sure that the tomatoes are at their peak ripeness ensures that a greater amount of juice will be available for canning.

Knowing the acidity level of tomatoes is an important part of cooking with them, as it affects their flavor, texture, and how well they hold up during cooking. Acidity levels range from pH 4.0-4.6 for fully ripe tomatoes, with the lower numbers being more acidic than higher ones. To determine the acidity level of your tomatoes, use a pH meter or litmus paper test to accurately measure their acidity before using them in a canning recipe.

Choose the Right Type of Tomatoes

When it comes to canning tomato sauce and paste, it’s important to choose the right type of tomato to get the best flavor and texture. While any type of tomato can be used for canning, some varieties are better suited for this purpose than others.

Here are some of the best tomatoes to use for canning tomato sauce and paste:

Roma tomatoes

Plum tomatoes are the most popular for tomato sauce and paste. These tomatoes are firm, meaty, and seedless perfect for canning. Roma tomatoes are sweet, making them ideal for rich and flavorful tomato sauce.

San Marzano tomatoes

These Italian heirloom tomatoes are also ideal for canning tomato sauce and paste. They taste sweeter and longer than Roma tomatoes. Canning San Marzano tomatoes are ideal due to their thick flesh and low moisture content.

Amish Paste tomatoes

You can also use these meaty, oblong heirloom tomatoes for canning tomato sauce and paste. They are less sweet than Roma and San Marzano tomatoes but have a deep, nuanced flavor suitable for sauces and pastes.

Use the Best Canning Method

Canning is simple as long as you know what method to use for a certain recipe. As for tomato sauce and paste, it depends on the acidity level of the tomatoes being used. High-acid tomatoes, with a pH level of 4.6 or below, can be safely canned using a water bath canner. However, low-acid tomatoes, with a pH level above 4.6, require the use of a pressure canner to ensure that harmful bacteria are destroyed.

But some studies suggest adding more acids when canning tomato sauce and paste using a water bath method. So, it’s safer to add acids like lemons, five percent vinegar, and citric acid to make canned tomato sauce.

Many people believe that adding vinegar to a sauce will ruin its flavor. However, I personally enjoy the tangy taste of citric acid granules. The citrus-like notes created by these tiny granules can really add some zest and life to an otherwise dull dish.

Use the Right Equipment

You should also use the right tools, like jars, lids, and rings, when you can. You’ll need canning-specific jars, lids, and rings to do this right. These things have to be of high quality so that they can stand up to the heat used to make and store canned foods.

Process at the Correct Time

When canning tomato sauces, Nana also says to pay attention to the right processing time. Most of the time, how long tomatoes you can base the processing time on how much liquid you’ll add. Tomatoes that don’t come with any liquid or are packed in tomato juice take longer to prepare because tomato juice doesn’t spread heat as well as water.

Don’t Add Thickener

Nana never fails to remind me that when I am canning tomato sauce and paste, I must not add any type of thickening product prior to the canning process. She insists that adding cornstarch, flour, or cream can significantly negatively affect the result.

I know you’re wondering how to make the tomato sauce thicker without resorting to using a thickening agent. Well, there is a way to achieve this if you are looking for an alternative option. You can enhance the consistency of your sauce or paste when serving them by cooking them down further on low heat. This will result in a more concentrated and denser product with a thicker texture.

If you’re looking for an extra layer of flavor, adding a pinch of salt to your canned tomato sauce can make all the difference. However, it isn’t necessary for safety – you can safely cook and consume tomato sauce without it. Ultimately, deciding whether to add salt is up to you; simply season according to your own taste as you prepare any recipe that calls for canned tomato sauce.

Nana’s Final Tips

With the vast number of online recipes, Nana recommends choosing a trusted recipe for canning tomato sauce and paste. Nana recommends to look for recipes that are tried and tested by experienced home canners and follow the instructions carefully to ensure safe food preservation. Furthermore, it is beneficial to look for recipes that call for the freshest ingredients and provide detailed step-by-step instructions.