The canning pots have not taken a break over the past week or so, nor has the pressure canner …
I had hoped to start school early (as the girls keep requested to crack open our books – Praise the Lord!) but these tomatoes keep ripening 🙂 and they must not go to waste … so, we spend our morning, chopping, dicing and prepping for the next recipe. We are starting to mix school in with our canning – because one can work that way while homeschooling! I either read aloud to them while they cut up the tomatoes or we listen to an audiobook relating to the science topic we are starting to study. Piano is getting practiced, books are being scheduled formally as “reading material” and even the math program had a workout today. I’m call this a soft launch to school. 🙂
Sadly, I fear the rest of my home is feeling neglected – but canning season will only last for so long. I will have all fall to clean up the inside – at least, that is what I keep telling myself…
As requested … I am going to post another recipe I have used this year in canning. We are loaded – and overloaded!- with an abundance of beautiful tomatoes! I have never had quite the bountiful harvest before and while it is daunting, it is also exciting to try out new recipes or ideas to use with tomatoes, instead of just canning diced, whole or sauce.
My husband LOVES hot sauce. I must admit, in the past, I considered it an insult when he would glance around the dinner table, fill his plate with the food I prepared and then pour hot sauce ALL.OVER.IT.
But I have learned a few things …
1) Hot sauce is actually very good for you!
2) It doesn’t really matter. If it makes him happy and helps his meal taste better, I will choose to not take it as an insult.
So this year, I enlisted the girls help and we made daddy his own hot sauce with our abundant tomato crop and our fabulously growing hot peppers.
Abby now has a year’s supply of it, canned away. We will also give a few jars out for Christmas (his dad is also a lover of hot sauce).
It was fairly simply to make – not much more work than creating salsa. Of course, we wore gloves while chopping up the peppers because those little hot peppers are awful if you touch your eyes or mouth by accident!
Hot Sauce Recipe
(adapted from www.pickyourown.org)
- 8 cups (64 ounces) diced tomatoes (we made the recipe x4)
- hot peppers – enough to yield about 1½ cups seeded, chopped (we used banana peppers)
- 4 cups distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons canning salt
- 2 tablespoons whole mixed pickling spices
Cheesecloth (6″ by 6″) or a spice bag
Prepare your tomatoes by dicing them and putting them into a pot. No need to skin them -just cut them up and place them in a large pot. Next, prepare your lovely hot peppers. Careful – do wear gloves as they will burn your skin. Take out as many seeds as possible. Chop and place into the same pot as your tomatoes.
Now it is time to mix in your vinegar, canning salt and pickling spices. Scoop out your spices and place them in a cheesecloth bag in the sauce. Mix together and simmer to a boil for 1/2 hour or so. I added some hot pepper flakes to the pickling spices, as well. Simmer long enough to ensure your tomatoes and peppers are soft.
After it has cooked long enough, it is time use your tomato press – or you may possibly use a stick blender or a food mill. I think it would work just the same and be less messy – but I have this lovely tomato press that I used for this recipe.
Ladle your sauce mixture through the press and it will squeeze out all the tomato juice, taking out the seeds and skins. This will also remove the seeds from the peppers, leaving you with a tomato-pepper sauce.
It is a messy job!
Return the strained sauce into the pot to simmer for another 20 minutes or so.
Now it is time to fill your clean mason jars with your hot sauce.
Fill your jars leaving a 1/4″ space from the top. {Do not overfill your jars or they will not seal.}
Wipe rims, place new canning lids on top and place into water bath. Process for 20 minutes.
Remove from water bath and allow to sit on the counter or table untouched overnight. Check the seals in the morning {if you are new to canning, email me and I can explain this more or you can just google this} and store away for future use.
Making your own food at home is so much more resourceful and satisfying than simply purchasing as a store. Not only do you know what is exactly in your product, but you can make your hot sauce as hot or mild as you need it to be.
Who says being a “housewife” is dull? There is so much to do and learn – every day is a new adventure!
by Gigi
1 comment