When the tomato harvest peaks, spend a day making sauce and you will eat well all winter. A properly acidified, water-bath-canned sauce is the backbone of countless quick meals.

Cook it down

Roast or simmer ripe tomatoes with onion, garlic, basil, and oregano until thick. The thicker the sauce before canning, the better the texture later.

Acidify and process

Add bottled lemon juice to every jar (required for safety with water-bath canning), then process. Label with the date and the tomato variety for fun later.

  • Remove skins by blanching and shocking in ice water.
  • A food mill saves hours of seeding and straining.
  • Never reduce the acid — safety first.
  • Freeze any sauce you will eat within 3 months instead of canning.
OneAugust afternoon of sauce-making buys you a winter of easy dinners.