Homemade Spaghetti Sauce

I have always made my own pasta sauce, for years and years.
This all happened because the store bought sauce was never thick enough, I started adding tomato paste to the store bought sauce, and even added herbs and spices. Eventually I was adding canned tomatoes, and tomato paste.

One day I realized, why buy pre made sauce, when I could make and can my own.

I am a connoisseur of thick pasta sauce, a blend of herbs, spices, and tomatoes, a sauce that is hearty and full of flavor.
My sauce starts in the crock pot, the day prior to canning. This sauce likes a long slow cook to let all the flavors deepen into the sauce and blend together.

Fill a large pot of water bring to a boil, add tomatoes, blanch for 2 mins, remove and plunge into ice water.
Peel and quarter the tomatoes, set aside.

Create the brown butter sauté for the onions, garlic, green and red peppers, this also adds a wonderful flavor when added to the crock pot. .  Only when the onions, garlic, and peppers are nice and soft I add them to the crock pot.  I also add the blanched peeled tomatoes, tomato sauce, and 1 can tomato paste, building on the flavors.

When the tomatoes are ready and the sauté vegetables are cooked, in a large pot combine peeled tomatoes, sautéed peppers, onions, add soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, salt, garlic, oregano, basil, pepper flakes and bay leaves. Cook to a boil, stirring constantly.

Next adding the herbs and spices, and salt and pepper , completes setting up this sauce for the overnight crock pot simmer.
The sauce will cook on low overnight, in the morning I add the sliced mushroom  and the remaining Italian tomato paste to the crock pot, stirring everything in well.

When you are ready to can:

This recipe makes 6-8 quart jars

To each jar add 2 T lemon juice prior to pouring the sauce in.

When adding in the sauce use your canning funnel and leave 1/4 inch headspace from the top of the jar.

Place lids and rings on, tighten ( do not over tighten the lid)

Place filled jars on the rack in 20 quart stock pot,  lower down into hot water. Make sure there is enough water in pot that there is at least 1 inch of water above the jars. If necessary, add more HOT water.
Place lid on your pot, and bring to a gentle boil.
Boiling time will vary depending on where you live.

Bring to a rolling boil, cover the canner and boil for 10 minutes if using 4-, 8- or 12-ounce jars or for 15 minutes if using 16-ounce jars.

At 1,001 to 3,000 feet (305 to 914 meters) above sea level: increase processing time by 5 minutes.
At 3,001 to 6,000 feet (914 to 1,829 meters) above sea level: increase processing time by 10 minutes.
At 6,001 to 8,000 feet above sea level, increase processing time by 15 minutes.

Remove jars, set aside on a cookie sheet or into a metal cake pan on the counter, and wait for that beloved popping sound of success as the jars cool.