Description
This comprehensive guide walks you through making rich, flavorful spaghetti sauce designed specifically for safe home canning. Using fresh tomatoes, herbs, and (optional) meat, this recipe ensures shelf-stable, preservative-free sauce that lasts up to a year.
Ingredients
Scale
- 30 lbs fresh tomatoes (about 90 medium)
- 2.5 lbs ground meat (beef, sausage, venison, or turkey – optional)
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup onions, finely chopped
- 1 cup celery or green peppers, chopped (optional)
- 1 lb mushrooms, sliced (optional)
- 4.5 tsp canning salt
- 2 tbsp dried oregano
- 4 tbsp parsley, minced
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (or honey/maple syrup alternative)
Instructions
- Prepare Tomatoes: Wash tomatoes, blanch 30–40 seconds in boiling water, transfer to an ice bath, peel, core, and quarter.
- Cook Base: Add tomatoes to a large pot and boil 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pass through a food mill to remove seeds and skins.
- Brown Meat: In a large skillet, brown ground meat 10–12 minutes. Drain, leaving 2 tbsp fat for flavor.
- Sauté Veggies: Add garlic, onions, celery or peppers, and mushrooms. Cook until tender (8–10 minutes).
- Combine & Season: Mix meat and vegetables into tomato pulp. Add salt, herbs, pepper, and brown sugar. Simmer gently.
- Simmer: Cook uncovered 35–45 minutes until sauce thickens and reduces by about half.
- Prepare Equipment: Sterilize jars, lids, and bands. Keep hot until use. Prepare pressure canner with water as per manufacturer instructions.
- Fill Jars: Ladle hot sauce into jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Remove bubbles, wipe rims, and apply lids finger-tight.
- Pressure Can: Process pints 60 minutes, quarts 70 minutes at 11 lbs (dial gauge) or 10 lbs (weighted gauge). Adjust pressure for altitude.
- Cool & Store: Let canner depressurize naturally. Cool jars 12+ hours. Check seals before storing in a cool, dark place.
Notes
Always use a pressure canner for low-acid ingredients. Never substitute table salt for canning salt. Store sealed jars up to 12 months in a cool, dark place. Refrigerate opened jars and use within 3–4 days.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Canning
- Method: Pressure Canned
- Cuisine: Italian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 3/4 cup
- Calories: 113
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 287mg
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 5g
- Protein: 6g
- Cholesterol: 9mg
Keywords: spaghetti sauce, canning recipe, homemade sauce, tomato sauce, pressure canning, pantry storage