Wednesday, September 16, 2015

Homemade 'Chunky' Tomato Sauce


Hello!  I hope everyone is enjoying these last precious days of summer!  I've been doing my best to put the blog on hold to enjoy these last, glorious days. For the most part, it has been beautiful here, so there have been lots of golf and outdoor activities with family and friends.

Last week, on one rainy, chilly day, when a golf date with my husband was rained out, I decided to use the abundance of tomatoes I had on the kitchen counter to make tomato sauce.  Not to enjoy now, but to enjoy when the weather gets cold and pasta nights will be even more welcomed. 


This has been a banner tomato year.  I've read that others around the country have been enjoying a bountiful year as well. Even today, I harvested six gorgeous, big tomatoes. The other crazy thing about this summer is that we have barely had any mosquitoes all summer.  Now that is impressive!  All summer to enjoy the patio in the evening and not be chased indoors by mosquitoes.  Priceless!


I picked one HUGE tomato called, Mr. Stripey, that weighed over a pound and was over 5 inches long! I read not-so-stellar reviews of this tomato and I'm glad I gave it a try. It performed very well in my garden.


You can see by the slight yellow tinge to my tomato sauce that I used a few of those yellow and red striped tomatoes in this sauce. 


I tried a new-to-me recipe and loved it!  Very loosely adapted from this recipe, I altered the cooking method, tomato preparation and ingredients slightly, but it was the list of ingredients that made me choose it in the first place.  It is loaded with flavor!


The tomatoes were prepped by using the boiling water/ice bath method to remove the skins. After dicing, I drained the chopped tomatoes in a mesh colander to remove excess juice so the sauce wouldn't be too juicy.


After it was cool, it was transferred it to zipper bags and frozen to enjoy on a cool night in Autumn.  If you find yourself still picking tomatoes, or have a local farmers' market where you can buy them, please give this recipe a try.  It was so good, it was hard not to keep eating it out of the pan!  It is a 'chunky' style sauce and there are the seeds are left in it.  It neither of those things bother you, you will love it.

Homemade 'Chunky' Tomato Sauce


Adapted loosely from All Recipes
Printable Recipe

Update:  I made another batch of this recently and decided to use an immersion blender to smooth the sauce just a bit.  I know we'll enjoy it either way!

Note:  This recipe represents a half recipe of the original, which was all of the tomatoes I had on hand.  Double if you have lots of tomatoes.  

2 onions, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup canola oil
About 5-6 pounds of whole, garden tomatoes
1 tablespoons dried oregano
1 tablespoons dried basil
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/8 cup white sugar
1 tablespoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste (optional to use when you are ready to use the sauce)

Prepare a large pot of water to boil.  Have a large bowl of ice water ready next to the pot when the water is boiling.  Cut a shallow 'X' across the non-stem end of the tomato. Drop 3-4 whole tomatoes into the boiling water.  When the skin has cracked, about 1 minute or so, remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon to the ice water bath.  Repeat with all of the tomatoes.  Remove the skin from the tomatoes and core them.  Chop the tomatoes into about 1/2 inch pieces and place in a colander to drain for about 30 minutes. 

In a large stock pot over medium heat, saute the the onion, garlic, green pepper in the canola oil.  Stir often and watch carefully to that it doesn't burn. When the onion is transparent, add the chopped tomatoes, oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, parsley, sugar, salt, and ground black pepper. Cook for about 2 hours on very low heat, stirring frequently.

Let sauce cool and pour sauce into quart size freezer containers.

Will keep in freezer for 3-4 months or longer if you have a deep freeze.

When ready to use sauce, you can stir in can of tomato paste, if desired, but I found it tasted great on its own.

TIP:  If using freezer bags, after filling, place flat on a baking sheet in freezer until fully frozen (about 2 hours) so that may be stored flat.

62 comments:

  1. What beautiful bright clicks, Susan. Homemade tomato sauce tastes so much fresher and better. I bring some pasta over and let's lunch together!

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  2. I love this chunky tomato sauce, always a fav! Thanks for sharing.

    Hugs,
    FABBY

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    1. Thank you, Fabby! We love pasta with good tomato sauce too.

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  3. Your sauce looks delicious. I so wish I had room for a garden. I would try them on the patio, but I do not get enough sun. When I find a Mr. Stripey at a market I always have to have one or more. I have heard the reviews from others, but I love them. They are my favorite.

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    1. We are surrounded by trees, Madonna, but I have found one spot on the patio that works, thankfully. I was surprised at how well this tomato performed. I'll definitely try it again. Thank you!

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  4. Looks beautiful! No doubt you'll enjoy this on a snowy night this winter:@)

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    1. We'll enjoy it along with some clipped herbs that I will put in the freezer too :) Thanks, Lynn!

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  5. Congratulations on your banner tomato season with no mosquitos! Life doesn't get much better than that!

    This sauce looks amazing. I wish I had a bumper tomato crop so I could spend a weekend canning such a wonderful sauce!

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  6. I've never seen a Mr. Stripey that large. Wow. Congratulations on so much lovely homemade tomato sauce. You will bring summertime into your winter days all year long.
    Sam

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    1. Isn't it huge? I have one more on the plant that is just about ready to pick that looks just as big. Thank you, Sam!

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  7. My tomatoes didn't do very well this year and I I had to buy a bushel to make my sauce this year. But it was very good -- I roasted tomatoes first then used the immersion blender. Didn't need paste, either!

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    1. Sorry your tomatoes didn't do well, Rosemary! Your sauce sounds wonderful too. Thank you!

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  8. Won't this be wonderful in the dead of winter! I'm glad you had a nice summer.

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  9. I saw this in bed last night..my Mini is so finicky..I type my response..publish..and it says webpage n/a..

    always..on a few blogs..why do I insist on trying?:)

    I want to make it..this little labor of love..
    It's so beautiful and appetizing!
    Me too glad you had such a nice summer Nana.

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    1. I get it! I hate visiting my blog friends on my tablet too. So much frustration when I'm typing. Some don't save my information, URL, etc., etc., so just too difficult. Too bad :( Thank you, Monique! It was a fantastic summer. It makes it even harder to see it leave.

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  10. What a delicious way to preserve some of your wonderful tomato harvest! Our summer is waning and so are the tomatoes. I hope there will be some left in early October (when we return from vacation) to put up for our winter dining pleasure.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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    1. It won't compare to summer but it will bring back great, warm memories :) Thank you, Bonnie!

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  11. here the weather is muggy and unlivable, your sauce seems so tasty and delicious,I want to try your recipe, hugs

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    1. I'm sorry you are having such hot weather, Chiara! That can be just as bad as bitter cold. I hope you have an opportunity to try this. Thank you, and a big hug!

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  12. You have had a bumper crop of tomatoes this year. You will really enjoy the sauce this Winter when a good comfort food is wanted, and most of the work is already done.

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    1. I have had a bumper crop, Glenda! So true, it will be dinner in a jiffy :) Thank you!

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  13. What a great idea! I keep buying tomato sauce, but have never thought of making it myself!

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    1. It tastes so fresh, Cathleen! I hope you try it one day. Thank you!

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  14. Susan, your sauce is so pretty, I'm loving all the colors and wondering what we did before zip-top bags! I need to make some up too, scads of tomatoes....

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    1. Thank you, Renee! I've heard more people say it was a great tomato year.

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  15. You are really inspiring me, Susan. My great aunt used to get a group of women together in her northern Michigan kitchen this time of year and they'd make an absolute TON of chili sauce. It was not like any chili sauce I ever tasted and I always got a jar or two of it. Tried to make it last as long as I could. It' a very involved recipe and for a huge amount...I'd have to do a lot of adjusting to reduce the recipe to normal proportions, which doesn't always work well as you know. I've never tried it (mainly because I lived in a condo for 40 years and the fragrance, while divine, would overwhelm everyone) but now that I'm in a house for a while, I ought to bring out that old recipe and give it a try.
    Happy weekend!

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    1. I would love to see you post that chili sauce one day, Barbara!

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  16. Homemade tomato sauce is the best. Yours looks terrific!

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  17. Beautiful! Our tomatoes did awesome this year, too! I discovered making sauce in the slow cooker. Nice, no stirring. We, however, had lots of mosquitoes. Living on a adds to the quantity. Have a fabulous week, enjoy the weather.

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    1. Thank you, Julie! Another great week in the forecast. Sorry about your mosquitoes.

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  18. I hope I have enough tomatoes left on the vine to make this sauce. I used 4 pounds yesterday to make a tomato, cognac, orange soup. It's been a banner year in Colorado also. Yay for fresh tomatoes.

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    1. Yay for fresh tomatoes is right! We're having BLTs tonight :) That soup sounds wonderful!

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  19. I'm jealous of all your tomatoes! There's nothing like picking them right from your back yard. I can't believe your tomato was over a pound, wow! The sauce sounds wonderful - I love the addition of green pepper.

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    1. It's true, there is nothing like going outside and picking a warm, fresh tomato from the garden. I grow most of mine in large containers now because the ground can contain a fungus that leads to disease. Thank you, Chris!

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  20. It must be so wonderful to have these jars lined up ready to be used, they look delicious. My favorite dish these days is zucchini cooked in tomato sauce, I'm going to try yours.
    Amalia
    xo

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    1. Zucchini in tomato sauce sounds wonderful, Amalia. I hope you enjoy the sauce! Thank YOU :)

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  21. this looks wonderful and a fab way to preserve those amazing tomatoes

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    1. I have at enough for at least 12 meals in the freezer now. Thank you, Rebecca!

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  22. We are enjoying one last surge of tomatoes from the garden and I was thinking about making sauce - yours looks wonderful! Love that Mr. Stripey! Have a great week

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    1. Some animal got to my last huge Mr. Stripey :( Hope you make it and enjoy it, Tricia!

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  23. Your tomatoes are gorgeous! And your homemade sauce looks really good! I can imagine using the sauce for all kinds of yummies!

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    1. Thank you, Joyce! So true, versatile for more than simply pasta.

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  24. Lucky you! This has been a hard year for tomatoes here. What I would give to have sauce like this!

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  25. You are so lucky growing your own tomatoes and the sauce looks absolutely irresistible. Perfect for pizzas and pasta!

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    1. I do feel very fortunate to be able to grow tomatoes, Katerina! We love them. Pizza would be another great way to use the sauce! Thank you!

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  26. Susan this tomato sauce look delicious !!
    xo

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  27. Sounds like a great sauce. I like the option of freezing it too. We have had a great year with tomatoes too and I need to make this and some salsa before the tomatoes are gone.

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    1. I wish the season would last a few weeks longer! I still have quite a few big green tomatoes on my plants. Thank you, Jacqueline!

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  28. I have never a tomato that huge...and the sauce sure sounds and looks delicious Susan...I like all the herbs in it...really tasty!
    Have a wonderful weekend :)

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    1. It's probably the biggest tomato I've ever grown :) Thank you, Juliana!

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  29. Wow your sauce looks positively deelicious & love a little red pepper flake in the recipe - YUM!!! Thanks so much for sharing:)

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    1. They were my personal addition and they give the sauce just a little 'kick' which we love. Thank you, Stephanie!

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  30. Hi Susan, your tomatoes are just gorgeous. Love that you mixed some of the yellows in with the red, I bet the sauce is delicious with all the fresh herbs you used. Take care!

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    1. Thank you, Cheri! I just made another (quite possibly the last) batch yesterday and we had it over pasta last night. Delicious!

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  31. A great way to preserve the bounty of summer.

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  32. That is one whopper-sized tomato Susan! You're right, this past summer was really for tomatoes! No mosquitos? Wow! I open the door just once, and they always seem to find their way in and terrorize us while we sleep! I LOVE this recipe and am printing it out to use for next year's garden bounty....I like tomato sauces with more ingredients included to heighten the flavor and this recipe has all those goodies! Thanks for sharing!

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