Home canned Marinara

Rachel's Canned Marinara

40-50 lbs ripe tomatoes (2 cases of tomatoes)

6-8 onions

1 cup minced garlic

1 large box mushrooms

6-8 carrots

8-10 cans tomato paste

2 bottles red cooking wine

1/2 cup olive oil

large bunch fresh italian flat-leaf parsley

2 cups fresh basil

1/2 cup dried italian seasoning

8 Tbsp salt

6 Tbsp black pepper

2 Tbsp sugar

All of these ingredients should be divided equally between two large stock pots.

First prepare the tomatoes by coring them and cutting an x just into the top layer of the skin on the bottom of each tomato.  Then blanch tomatoes in boiling water in batches.  After skin begins to loosen, transfer to ice water and peel all skin from tomatoes.  Then crush tomatoes with a blender or a potato masher.  Strain off about 2/3-3/4 of the tomato liquid.  Set tomatoes aside.  Tip: I do this step the first day and then let the tomatoes sit overnight covered on my counter in a giant pot and then make the marinara the next day.  You can do it all in one day but it is kind of crazy.

Pulse onions and garlic in batches in a food processor until minced small or do this by hand.  In two large stock pots heat the olive oil divided (about 1/4 cup in each pot).  Then divide the onions and garlic and sautee in each pot.  Meanwhile peel the carrots and process the mushrooms and carrots until very small.  Add divided carrots and mushrooms to pots and sautee with onions and garlic.  Season each pot with 2 Tbsp Salt and 1 Tbsp pepper.  Stir frequently so you don't burn any of the veggies but sautee them long enough to develop a deep golden brownish color.  Add one bottle of red cooking wine to each pot to deglaze and turn up the heat so it will reduce.  When the wine has reduced almost all the way add in the divided cans of tomato paste.  Stir to combine mixture.  Then add crushed tomatoes divided to each pot.  Chop parsley and basil and divide and add to pots along with the dried seasonings, sugar, and the remaining salt and pepper.  Stir frequently, scraping up the bottom until all ingredients are well combined.  Bring pots to a boil.  This will take awhile.  Then reduce heat and cover pots and simmer for 4-6 hours.  Stir the sauce frequently to avoid burning the bottom.  Then puree to desired consistency with a stick blender and adjust seasonings to taste.  

Sanitize large canning jars and fill with Marinara leaving 1 inch of headspace.  Process in a pressure canner at 12 pounds of pressure for 35 minutes.