Balsamic Marinara Sauce

Balsamic Marinara Sauce (from Putting Up More)


Canning Notes

This is an acidified hot-pack recipe.
pH is critical, must be monitored, and kept below 4.3. The wine, vinegar, tomatoes, and paste are the acid forces. If pH requires lowering, add 1/4 teaspoon citric acid and mix well; continue until pH is at 4.2.
This recipe makes 6 quart jars, all jar sizes work.
This recipe can be halved, doubled, or multiplied.
Ingredients

14 pounds tomatoes, peeled and finely chopped
24 ounces tomato paste
4 cups finely chopped white onion
1 cup minced celery (tender parts of stalks only)
1 cup minced carrot
1 cup olive oil, divided
1 bell pepper, small-diced
20 cloves garlic, minced*(we added 10)
2 cups white wine (not too dry)
1 cup balsamic vinegar *(we added 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup butter
1/4 cup honey
2-1/2 tablespoons chopped, tightly packed fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped, tightly packed fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons chopped, tightly packed fresh parsley
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground pepper
6 bay leaves
Directions

Put the tomatoes in a nonreactive pot with the tomato paste and stew for 20 minutes or until beginning to thicken. Sauté the onion, celery, and carrot in a little olive oil until the onion is clear before adding with the rest of the oil to the tomatoes along with the bell pepper. Simmer for an additional 15 minutes.

Add the remaining ingredients, bring to 200 degrees F, and hold, stirring often, until thick. Retrieve bay leaves and place one in each quart jar (or see alternative tip in bay leaf section of the introduction). Check pH and adjust if necessary (see canning notes above).

Notes:
*used onions celery carrot pepper and basil leaves from our garden
*roasted tomatoes in oven before running through strainer
*used stick blender to smooth out sauce
*we did not add bay leaves to jars
*This recipe calls for just inverting in hot jars we processed ours in a bwb 40 minutes for quarts 35 minutes for pints.
*PH 3.79
*We only got 4 quarts.