Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

1 bushel of tomatoes (5 gallon bucket filled twice)

4 Large Green Peppers

6 medium onions

1/4 cup of basil

1/4 cup oregano

1/4 cup italian seasoning

3 tablespoons onion salt

3 tablespoons garlic powder

1 cup canning salt

3 cups of sugar

3 cups of cooking oil

48 oz tomato paste

4 large cans of tomato puree

This recipe was passed down from grandma from her mom. The seasonings have been adjusted to my family liking, so experiment and see what YOU like in terms of the seasonings.

Wash and core tomatoes. cut in half and squeeze them to eliminate the excess seeds and liquid. "Blend" or food process into pure liquid form. I leave peels and everything on them. Once the sauce is cooked you can't taste or see the peels etc and it's much easier (And also the nutrients from the peels are still intact) I use Roma tomatoes and a variety of big boy and whatever else I have in the garden. The Romas are meatier and less seedy then the rest but smaller so it takes more.

Wash and peel onions and deseed green peppers. Food process them as well.

Combine EVERYTHING except the Tomato paste into a large pot (I actually have to start with 2 pots until it cooks down enough to combine them.)

Simmer while stirring often for approx 3-4 hours. Allowing all the seasonings to blend well and all the liquid to cook out. The sauce will thicken as the water cooks out of the tomatoes. It will also turn from the light red color you start with to the dark red color of spaghetti sauce. Be patient and allow this to happen. Once the sauce is thicker and the water look is gone (About 4 hours for this size batch) you can add your tomato paste. A little at a time until the desired thickness. Some people like their sauce thicker then others. Just add it about 12 oz at a time and allow it to cook into sauce to determine if you want to add more. I use the whole amount myself.

Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking. I will sometimes add more of one or another seasoning till I like the taste. But, this recipe is about the exact of everything I use. You can replace the garlic powder with either fresh or minced garlic. We aren't a big garlic family here. So the powder does the job right for us.

Once the sauce is thick and to your liking pack into hot sterile jars and seal with hot seals and rings. Water bath the jars for 30 minutes.

Allow to seal.

Makes 18 quarts.