Making your own homemade pizza sauce is a great way to add a personal touch to your pizza and to ensure that you know exactly what’s going into your food. If you’ve never tried making your own pizza sauce before, now is the perfect time to give it a shot. And if you happen to have an abundant supply of tomatoes, then canning your homemade pizza sauce is a great way to make it last through the year.

Here’s a quick and easy guide to making and canning your very own homemade pizza sauce.

Ingredients:

– 15 pounds of tomatoes (Roma tomatoes work best for sauce)
– 1/4 cup olive oil
– 2 small onions, chopped
– 4 cloves of garlic, minced
– 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
– 2 teaspoons salt
– 1 teaspoon black pepper
– 1 teaspoon sugar (optional, to taste)
– 1/2 teaspoon oregano
– 1/2 teaspoon thyme

Instructions:

1. Start by preparing your tomatoes. Peel the tomatoes by scoring the bottom of each tomato with an “X” and then blanching them in boiling water for about 30 seconds. Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and immediately place them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. The skins should then easily peel off.

2. Once the tomatoes are peeled, remove the seeds and excess liquid by cutting them in half and squeezing out the seeds. Then, roughly chop the tomatoes and set them aside.

3. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and cook until they become soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

4. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. The tomatoes will start to break down and turn into a thick sauce.

5. Add in the chopped basil, salt, pepper, sugar (if using), oregano, and thyme. Continue to cook the sauce for an additional 15-20 minutes, or until it reaches your desired consistency. Some like their sauce chunky, while others prefer it to be smoother.

6. Once the sauce is ready, it’s time to can it. Sterilize your canning jars and lids by boiling them in water for 10 minutes.

7. Ladle the hot pizza sauce into the sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean, damp cloth to remove any sauce residue.

8. Place the lids on the jars and tighten the bands. Process the jars in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes.

9. Once the processing time is up, carefully remove the jars from the water bath and place them on a towel to cool. After the jars have cooled, check the seals by pressing down on the center of the lid. If the lid doesn’t move, the jar is sealed.

Homemade pizza sauce makes a great addition to your pantry and can be used for more than just pizza. Use it as a pasta sauce, in soups, or as a dipping sauce for breadsticks. Canning your homemade pizza sauce is a great way to preserve the flavors of the summer and have a taste of freshness all year round. Give it a try and see how much better your homemade pizza tastes with your very own sauce.