Roasted Roma Tomato Sauce

Yield approx. 12 pints & 8 ½ pints

This recipe presents a straightforward sauce that offers versatility, enabling you to incorporate various

spices as needed in your upcoming dishes. I make some ½ pint jars to use for pizzas or enchiladas and keep the pint jars for sauces and soups.

Ingredients

30 lbs Roma tomatoes

1 Cup freshly ground pepper

1 ½ Cup Kosher or Sea Salt

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Actions

Wash tomatoes. Cut into halves vertically, place on rimmed cookie sheets.

Pour approximately 1/2C Olive Oil for each pan and sprinkle with pepper and salt.

Roast in oven 375 degrees for 30-45 minutes.

Process in a food mill (this separates the sauce from seeds and skins.

Ladle sauce into hot canning jars, leave ½” head space using a wide mouth funnel.

Wipe rims of any excess sauce, cover with hot flats and rings. Do not overtighten the rings.

Process pints 35 minutes and ½ pints 20 minutes in boiling water canner.

Carefully lift jars from canner after processing time.

Place on a clean kitchen towel. Cover with another kitchen towel to keep drafts from cooling them too

fast.

Label and store.

See Ingredient and Action notes below

Notes

Roma tomatoes have more flesh. Regular tomatoes will have more juice and may not make a sauce as

thick.

Sea Salt or Kosher Salt – Iodine free. Using salt with iodine will make any of your liquids cloudy.

EVOO – using a light extra virgin olive oil will enhance the flavor of the tomato. Using a heavy oil may

overpower the fresh, light aroma and flavor.

Wash tomatoes in clear tap water and remove stems.

Roasting time depends on your taste preference. The longer the time the more ‘roasted’ or ‘charred’

flavor will develop.

Food Mill is my favorite way and gives an excellent texture to the sauce. However, a rotary food mill or

potato ricer will separate the skin and seeds from the sauce. Using a blender will give the sauce more of

a tomato soup texture.

Filling the jars – be sure to leave ‘head space’. Fill the jars to at least ½” below the rim. This allows for

the sauce to expand during the water bath process. Overfilling will cause leakage and improper sealing

of the jars.

Lids and Rings – wipe the rims of the filled jars with a damp, clean cloth to remove any spills. Place the

heated lids and secure with the heated rings. Hand tighten to secure the lids in place.

Removing jars from the water bath with the lifters, place on a clean kitchen towel. Placing hot jars on a

cold surface may crack the jar or cause the bottom to break. Cool slowly to room temperature by

avoiding drafty areas.

Label with the name and date. Store in a cool or darkened area for future use.

Enjoy the pleasure of creating memories and storing sunshine for your harvest pantry.

– Connie McCullah

August 2024