For the first time this year I made Crock-Pot Pizza Sauce by scratch to be canned. I had decided to focus my garden on things that I knew the family would eat and that I could preserve. I purchased a pressure canner so I could process meats, veggies and mixes of the two. I’ve been canning for years, but was sticking to fruits and tomatoes. This recipe if it’s followed exactly, can be water bath canned. If you want to vary it a bit, or not be so concerned on the amounts of tomatoes to onions and garlic then it needs to be pressure canned. Either will work well. This Crock-Pot Pizza Sauce can also be frozen if you wish to do neither, and of course can be used fresh, if your making a ton of pizza! The recipe uses honey to sweeten and you can replace with regular sugar, but I generally don’t suggest using artificial sweeteners when canning. If you are interested in either Water Bath Canning or Pressure Canning and don’t know where to start, the Ball Book is the best beginners book to start out with. This recipe was the first time I got to try out my new Kitchen Aid Immersion Blender, and frankly I wonder where it has been all my life! What a marvelous product. I also used my trusty stockpot and my new Presto Pressure Canner. I’ve made it twice now, and working on a new one tomorrow. The pretty new Green Heritage Ball Jars were a nice touch too.
Rating: 51
Prep Time: 2 hours
Cook Time: 7 hours
Total Time: 9 hours
Yield: 4 pints
Ingredients
10 Quarts of cored, chopped, fresh tomatoes (remove seeds as well) (40 cups) 2 Cups of Yellow Onion Chopped 2 Tablespoons of Minced Garlic (I use the refrigerator kind) 2 Tablespoons of Honey 2 Bay Leaves 2 Tablespoons of Fresh Basil or 2 Teaspoons of Dried Basil 2 Tablespoons of Dried Oregano 1 1/2 Teaspoons of Dried Thyme Lemon Juice (only needed if your Water Bath Canning, you need to put 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice per pint) I also use one small can of Tomato Paste (this helps thicken up the sauce) 4-5 pint jars, lids, screws I not only used a Crock-pot, I used a Stockpot, Immersion Blender and Pressure Canner ( or a Water Bath Canner can also be used). VinegarInstructions
Notes
The other way you can make this depending on the equipment you have.
Cook the tomatoes and onions on the stove until they are soft.
Run them through a sieve or food mill to remove the skin and seeds.
What is left, add the honey, garlic and bay leaves.
Cook this mixture until it’s been reduced to about 5 quarts.
Pour into the crock pot and set on high, do not cover and do stir occasionally.
Once the sauce is fairly thick remove bay leaves and add the remaining herbs and put lemon juice in the jars if WBC.
Clean the top of the jar with a towel soaked in Vinegar.
Pour the hot pizza sauce into clean pint jars filing it to within 1/2 inch.
Cover with a mason lid that has been in boiling water and place a clean band on and screw tight, but not too tight.
You can then freeze, Water Bath Can or Pressure Can.
For Freezing I would just let it cool off a titch and the place in the freezer (do not do this if you have not left enough space between the top of the sauce and the lid!)
Follow the first recipe times for WBC or Pressure canning psi and times.
http://crockpotladies.com/crockpot-pizza-sauce-canning-version/