Tuesday 4 September 2012

Salsa & Sauce

For several years now my girlfriend and her sisters have got together at the end of August to make tomato sauce.  Over the last few years I have grown an interest in canning.  I think I just like the idea and well probably, mostly, the look of all that delicious produce in the mason jar.  So I was thrilled when I was invited to join the sisters in making the tomato sauce.  Little did I know what I was getting myself into.....

The setting would be beautiful.  A lake side log home and beautiful weather.  My girlfriend (Pat) and I decided that we would do salsa first.  I arrived at 11:30 am on a Sunday morning having taken the train, a quick stop at the grocery store for a few last minute items and we were back at the house chopping away.  She had already picked up 6 bushels of tomatoes. 5 would be for the tomato sauce and 1 for salsa.

The canning process is very time consuming to say the least.  First we washed all the tomatoes, inspecting each one for bad spots.


We then blanched the tomatoes to make the skins soft enough to peel.  Then we chopped and removed as much seeds as you could.


I brought my mandolin and chopped.... oh I don't know really,  one huge bag of onions.   There where lots of tears until Barb lit two candles and it really did work.  I've tried everything including biting on a toothpick.


After chopping all the ingredients and the secret spices we cooked it all on the stove and then began filling the jars.



The jars are heated in the oven and the lids are boiled.  Making sure the rims are clean we place on the snap lids and then the ring, finger tightened only, then they are placed in the bath.


Ta da!  Fresh salsa for the year. Ha! If it lasts that long.  We finished up at around 7:00 and the four of us headed down to the dock for a much needed glass of wine.  Tomorrow after all would be another full day of canning.  My feet would be killing me and every bone in my body would ache.
I would have no idea!

Considering the amount of pictures I have to share I decided I would post our two days of tomato sauce tomorrow.


3 comments:

  1. Really good, Angela. Terrific pictures and a nice, homey description of the process.

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  2. That salsa looks DELICIOUS !! You might be right, it may not last the year!! I have heard of so many ways to chop onions without tears and the one that has worked for me is to put the onions in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before chopping.

    What impresses me are the beautiful photos you took ...all while in the process of making the salsa.....Can't wait to read about the Tomato Sauce !!

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  3. Your salsa and sauce look delicious!! I've only made jams so far, but hopefully will try tomato sauce soon. Hope you have a lovely week:)

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