How long does homemade pasta sauce last in jars?

Patches41048

I had a huge bag of tomatoes which i got from the reduced section and decided to use them up making pasta sauce. I made a good amount using up onions and mushrooms from the fridge and a bit of garlic and a few herbs.

I was pretty please with the result. I put it into sterile glass jars and when cool straight into the fridge but have used them up over a couple of weeks, checking each one first before use.

How long would these last? Would I need to do anything else so that i could put them into the pantry. I'm hoping to grow tomatoes over the summer and would love to be able to use surplus this way over a few months rather than weeks.

All hints and advice gratefully received! I did read about sterilising the jars after they are filled by boiling them, but i was worried about the jars cracking.

phizzimum

sorry I can't answer this question but I want to know as well!

I never have enough room in my freezer so I have toyed with this idea. I made chutney last summer and that has lasted fine, but is that the vinegar content?

Paulie'sGirl

I've done this, and even with great seals they didn't last that long, maybe 6 weeks? Second batch kept a bit longer as I stored these in the fridge.

I now just freeze the sauce.

Hoping someone else will come along with a way of keeping them though, cos I'd much rather do it in jars too...

PGxx

morwenna

I remeber bottling tomatoes and peaches with my Mum, I imagine the bottling process is what you would have to do to get the sauce to "keep."

Take a look here:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=698461

pinksleepybear

This is a handy page from the bbc about the best way to preserve various foods,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/news_and_events/events_seasonalglut1.shtml

here's the veg page,
http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/news_and_events/events_seasonalglutvegchart.shtml

For tomatoes, they recommend either drying in a low oven, making into chutney or freezing as a sauce. I think pasta sauce in jars doesn't keep so long because it doesn't have any of the things required to preserve food - salt, sugar or vinegar.

I usually make a pasta sauce and freeze it when I have a glut of tomatoes from the allotment.

Patches41048

Phizzimum I think you must be right about the vinegar content. I downsized my freezer a couple of years ago as it was always half empty and had just junk in it. Now i wish i hadnt as one meal batch cooked and im out of space!

Pinksleepybear Thanks for the link, i had a look and it seems i will just have to find another way of using them up. I will only have a couple of plants, i would never be able to take care of an allotment. There is only me in the house that like tomatoes so even with just two i think there will be a bit spare.

Morwenna This seems close to the other method i read about, maybe I will find a way eventually.

PauliesGirl It is a shame isnt it. Makes me wonder what they put in the jars of pasta sauce on the supermarket shelves to make that last so long!

Thanks for the replies. At least i know im not missing anything obvious.

:T :T :T

phizzimum

Patches41048 wrote: »

PauliesGirl It is a shame isnt it. Makes me wonder what they put in the jars of pasta sauce on the supermarket shelves to make that last so long!

just what I was thinking!

champys

Patches41048 wrote: »

I'm hoping to grow tomatoes over the summer and would love to be able to use surplus this way over a few months rather than weeks.

Patches if you do end up with loads of surplus tomatoes, you could consider making your own tomato ketchup. It is delicious, and keeps very well in jars just like chutney. It also processes great quantities of tomatoes into small jars of ketchup so you don't need too much storage space....

Patches41048

I like that idea Champys, I'm sure i have a recipe somewhere i got from one of the threads .... I'd forgotten about that!:T :T