Canning Tomatoes: Chili Sauce

Long time followers may remember, but I did a similar post almost a year ago on canning tomatoes.  That time of the year is hear again.  While we have lost countless tomatoes to blossom end rot, we still managed to gather 30+ tomatoes to can a batch of chili sauce! 

This chili sauce is my favorite.  It is sooooo flavorful, that I can tell when my husband does or doesn't use it in our chili just with one taste. 

First step to amazing chili sauce is to gather all the vegetables (preferably from your own garden).  The recipe calls for 18 large tomatoes, 5 green peppers, 6 large onions and a bunch of celery. 

Next you will need to scald the tomatoes.  Simply put the tomatoes in boiling water and leave for approximately 30 seconds.  Fish out the tomatoes and immediately put in a tub or sink full of ice water.

Have your loving husband peel and cut the tomatoes and while he's at it all the other vegetables too.  This is where we discovered half our tomatoes were rotten from the inside and we thanked our lucky stars the vegetable stand across the street was selling tomatoes.

Put the (oversized) pot on the stove and add the remaining ingredients.  Let this concoction simmer for an hour or more.

After the chili sauce has simmered, pour it into hot (sterilize in dishwasher or in our case heat them in the oven) pint jars.  We usually end up with 10-12 jars.  This time was 11.  Put on the lids and screw tops and let them steam or sit in a hot water bath for 35 minutes. 

The steam canner has been a life saver.  With a 1950s stove, we only have one large burner and it's electric.  With a hot water bath canner, it takes almost an hour to boil the amount of water we need.  With the steamer it took 5-10 minutes.  It.was.wonderful.

When the 35 minutes is up, put the jars on a towel and let them cool down for the rest of the day.  Within a minute of removing them you should hear a pop.  This will let you know that the lids have sealed. 

With just this one batch, Andy and I are set with chili sauce to last us 2.5 months if we have chili once a week.  However, we still have chili sauce from last year.  Looks like we will be having chili once a week for 4 months... perfectly warming us up through the winter.

Chili Sauce

18 Large Tomatoes
5 Green Peppers-chopped
6 Large Onions-chopped
1 Bunch Celery- chopped
2 Tbsp Canning Salt
1 Cup Sugar
2 Cups Vinegar

-Scald, peel and chop the tomatoes
-Combine all ingredients and simmer for 1 hour
-Transfer to hot jars and can per canning instructions.

Enjoy!