Recipe: Basil-Garlic Tomato Sauce (canning or freezing recipe)

This is for canning, but no reason to not freeze it instead.

BASIL-GARLIC TOMATO SAUCE

20 pounds tomatoes
1 cup chopped onion
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil
Bottled lemon juice

Prepare Ball or Kerr jars and closures according to instructions found in Canning Basics.

Wash tomatoes; drain. Remove core and quarter tomatoes; set aside.

Saute onion and garlic in olive oil until transparent.

Add tomatoes. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Put tomato mixture through a food mill or strainer to remove seeds and peel. Combine tomato puree and basil in a large saucepot. Cook over medium-high heat until reduced by one-half, stirring to prevent sticking.

Add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice to each pint jar. Carefully ladle hot sauce into hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Wipe rim and threads of jar with a clean damp cloth. Place lid on jar with sealing compound next to glass. Screw band down evenly and firmly just until a point of resistance is met-fingertip tight.

Process 35 minutes in a boiling-water canner.
Yield: about 7 pints.

For altitude adjustment increase processing as indicated below:
1,001-- 3,000 ft.....5 minutes
3,001-- 6,000 ft...10 minutes
6,001-- 8,000 ft...15 minutes
8,001- 10,000 ft...20 minutes