Tomato soup

Vine-fresh tomato soup

Servings 4 quart jars

Ingredients

1 bell pepper (medium)

1 onion (medium)

2 tablespoons oil

2 cloves garlic (minced)

6 kg tomatoes (14 lbs / 10 quarts chopped)

4 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

1 tablespoon salt (OR non-bitter, non-clouding salt sub)

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

lemon juice (bottled, OR citric acid)

 

Instructions

Wash, stem, seed and coarsely chop the bell pepper; set aside.

Wash, peel and coarsely chop the onion; add to bell pepper.

Wash, peel and mince the garlic; set aside separately.

Wash and core the tomatoes; chop into quarters. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a very large pot.

Add the onion and pepper, sauté for a few minutes until the onion starts to turn a bit translucent.

Add the garlic add to pot.

Sauté for another minute.

Add the tomatoes.

Stir mixture in pot.

Set heat to medium.

Cover pot, and bring to a boil, covered. This may take 30 to 40 minutes. Stir often to prevent bottom scorching.

Once the mixture has released enough liquid to start boiling, reduce heat to a simmer.

Simmer covered (sic) for another 30 to 40 minutes or until tomatoes have all broken down and mixture has begun to thicken a bit.

Pass mixture through a food mill or strainer to remove tomato skins and seeds. Do this carefully, minding the very hot liquids.

Return the strained tomato mixture to the large pot.

Add the tomato paste, sugar, salt and pepper.

Bring back to a simmer and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Ladle hot soup into heated jars, either  (pint) OR  (quart).

Leave ½ inch headspace.

To pint jars, add ¼ teaspoon citric acid OR 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

To quart (quart) jars, add ½ teaspoon citric acid OR 2 tablespoons lemon juice.

Debubble, adjust headspace.

Wipe jar rims.

Put lids on.

Process in a water bath, steam canner .

Process either size jar for 40 minutes. Increase time as needed for your altitude.

Or 15 minutes in a or pressure  canner 

From "https://www.healthycanning.com/vine-fresh-tomato-soup"