Making Jars of Tomato Sauces?

Downsizing__for_sanity · 14 April 2005 at 9:20AM

Hi all,

I wonder if any of you can help me with a method for making tomato sauces - ie like Ragu or similar?

I'm a fairly good cook (though I say so myself!) and I always cook bolognese, chilli, etc from scratch with tomatoes, basil, whatever I fancy really, as I feel that I can add as little oil as I want, and also, I know exactly what is in it - so no starches, hydrogenated vegetable fats or nasties that I don't want to eat.

Also - surprise surprise - it works out much cheaper than even own-brand pasta sauces! Tins of tomatoes are pennies and basil from the window ledge is free too. Add some garlic and onion, a pinch of sugar and almost done.

However - OH isn't as much of a money-saver as me when it comes to cooking, and if I'm working away, which is often, he finds it easier to buy or open a jar. So what I'm looking for I suppose, is a way to preserve sauce in jars so that it will keep for a few weeks, like making a chutney or jam or something. This way I can cook a load when I'm home.

I know that it freezes fairly well, but to OH, remembering to take it out in advance will seem like "cooking" and for this to work, I would like it to be as simple as possible!

Don't knock him before you say he should learn to cook - he is doing very well and is almost at the onion-chopping stage!

Many thanks!

DFS

moggins · 14 April 2005 at 9:38AM

Hmmmm, I don't think that anything homemade would last as long as a commercial jar but you could try one jar and see how it works.

You'd need to sterilise the jars and lids and pour the sauce into the jars whilst it was still hot and then put the lids on straight away so the heat produces that vaccuum effect.

It would be very different from doing jams because jam has the added preservative of the sugar.

You could make a couple and store them in the fridge as an added precaution?

Lillibet_2 · 14 April 2005 at 9:45AM

The Americans have a way of doing this, called canning, Unfortunately it involves lots of equipment & thermometers & boiling jars & tins after sealing to preseve the contents...........in my case no doubt lots of explosions too:p !

If you're feeling brave you could look into it & see if there is an old style adapation

?

Magentasue · 14 April 2005 at 9:53AM

I've used sauce from frozen by putting some boiling water in saucepan, adding sauce and heating gently with the lid on. Just needs a stir every now and again. Or in microwave?

MATH · 14 April 2005 at 10:31AM

Freezing your home made ragu would be much quicker, easier, and would last longer IMO

Downsizing__for_sanity · 14 April 2005 at 10:49AM

I've just done a little research...This link has a method of preserving tomato sauce "indefinitely" as it says - involves much simmering in the oven, so I'd have to be making a lot, as otherwise it'd be cheaper to buy it!

http://www.ivillage.co.uk/food/fruitveg/veg/articles/0,10103,164301_179270-3,00.html#winter

I also found an interesting site on my travels with recipes for beef jerky(!) and what they call "fruit leather" - seems to be like those roll-up strips "Fruit Winders" or something, which probably contain 1% fruit and 99% sugar.

http://muextension.missouri.edu/explore/hesguide/foodnut/gh1563.htm

All you do is make a fruit puree and dry it in the oven, roll it up into a swiss roll, and cut into strips. Quite involved but, if you had lots of fruit to use up and children clamouring for sweeties, it might float your boat! I might try it instead of those fruit/muesli type bars for a change!

PS - Does anyone have a lowfat/sugar recipe for cereal/energy bars? I'm thinking more of something (healthy) I might eat before I go to the gym, rather than a sticky-type with lots of syrup or chocolate.

lipidicman · 14 April 2005 at 4:23PM

Why not just make the whole meal up and freeze portions, then you OH just needs to defrost and heat. If you make him a jar of sauce he still has to do all the meat and vegetables.

jazzyjustlaw · 14 April 2005 at 6:03PM

Downsizing__for_sanity wrote:

Hi all,

I wonder if any of you can help me with a method for making tomato sauces - ie like Ragu or similar?

I'm a fairly good cook (though I say so myself!) and I always cook bolognese, chilli, etc from scratch with tomatoes, basil, whatever I fancy really, as I feel that I can add as little oil as I want, and also, I know exactly what is in it - so no starches, hydrogenated vegetable fats or nasties that I don't want to eat.

Also - surprise surprise - it works out much cheaper than even own-brand pasta sauces! Tins of tomatoes are pennies and basil from the window ledge is free too. Add some garlic and onion, a pinch of sugar and almost done.

However - OH isn't as much of a money-saver as me when it comes to cooking, and if I'm working away, which is often, he finds it easier to buy or open a jar. So what I'm looking for I suppose, is a way to preserve sauce in jars so that it will keep for a few weeks, like making a chutney or jam or something. This way I can cook a load when I'm home.

I know that it freezes fairly well, but to OH, remembering to take it out in advance will seem like "cooking" and for this to work, I would like it to be as simple as possible!

Don't knock him before you say he should learn to cook - he is doing very well and is almost at the onion-chopping stage!

Many thanks!

DFS

I would be so grateful if you could give me some tips on making your sauces - especially chutney and I love mango.

Jayde_2 · 15 April 2005 at 10:31PM

DFS,
Tomato and basil sauce will keep for ages. You will need to sterilize the bottles but aslong as it is kept in dark and cool climate it will keep. My husband's relatives in italy and here make huge batches when they can get cheap crates of tom's (they also grow there own) and they keep it for up to a year. Also made from fresh tom's it's the best tasting sauce you can eat.

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Making Jars of Tomato Sauces?

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