This is something that gets searched a lot and, until now, we haven’t shared.

We share almost all of our recipes.  We don’t sell our preserves, the book offers aren’t flooding in (and not sure I’d want to write an entire cookbook although that could be subject to change ) and we dont’ even compete at country fairs (I would never give two jars of my best product away to a stranger in exchanged for a chance at a ribbon).  Besides, I’m an only child that learned to share.

We haven’t share our recipe because there’s a chance it could fail.  And when it does, it will be a sad, sad day.  Because of this, I can`t openly recommend it.

Tomatoes are, technically a fruit.  Their pH balance has them walking a balance been right between fruit and vegetables.  Fruit generally are fine with a water bath while veggies need pressure canning or the addition of acid (such as pickles) in order to preserve safely and without spoilage.  Some tomatoes have enough acid to safely water bath while some do not.

The National Center for Home Food Preservation (my bible when it comes to safety and I will always recommend them as a resource and reference) offers the following instructions:

Acidification: To ensure safe acidity in whole, crushed, or juiced tomatoes, add two tablespoons of bottled lemon juice or 1/2 teaspoon of citric acid per quart of tomatoes. For pints, use one tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid. Acid can be added directly to the jars before filling with product. Add sugar to offset acid taste, if desired. Four tablespoons of a 5 percent acidity vinegar per quart may be used instead of lemon juice or citric acid. However, vinegar may cause undesirable flavor changes.

So I must, must advise that the safest way and only way I can recommend for others is to add acid.

We do not.

Our family was taught by a family who was taught by a family who was taught by a family who made sauce.  My parents have been making it for 15-20 years and we`ve always done it the same way.  We count on our tomatoes being acidic enough (avoid heirlooms which can be dramatically up and down this scale) and don`t add acid.  My understanding is that the primary risk is spoilage (although I am not a microbiologist and can`t determine the safety other than the experience we`ve had).

The spoilage risk is very real.  The family who taught ours lost an entire batch (around 200 jars) due to low acid and things began to ferment in bottle.  They lost an entire weekend of work, c virtual crop of tomatoes and sauce for the year.

Beyond breakage, we`ve all read about botulism and disease that can grow in jars.

This is a case where we`ve decided to follow tradition in spite of the scientific recommendations.  If I had not grown up eating sauce without knowing the spoilage and  health risks I`m confident I would never make our sauce this way.  But I did – and I do.

If you wish to use the following, do your research, weigh your options and accept all the risk yourself.  I dislike being that blunt but I have to be perfectly clear – this has worked based on experience and it will only take 1 experience to change my track record; perhaps I`m taking igger risks that I realize.

In each jar of cooked down sauce (a link to all of our historical tomato posts that was shared yesterday is here) we add garlic, salt and herbs.  About a teaspoon of salt, 1-2 teaspoons of garlic (chopped with a food processor) and a tablespoon or two of fresh garden herbs (chopped with scissors).  We add tomato paste for the last quarter of cooking (about a cup for 30 quarts).  We water bath the entire thing for about 45 minutes.

We make 100+ jars per year and adore our sauce.  Welcome any comments on others who do or do not add acid and your success records.  Best of luck to all of you – and be safe!