Hot Sauce

So, our tomatoes are FINALLY coming in and I couldn't be more excited!!  We take our hot sauce (salsa to most people that don't live in Texas) very seriously.  My family and I really don't like store bought sauce but do use it when that's all that's available.  For the most part, at least 3/4 of our tomatoes that are grown are grown specifically for canning hot sauce.  I used to give it away when friends and family would come over. I don't do that anymore.  I figured out that the amount of time it takes to prepare it and can it, they can do it themselves.  It's really not that I'm being mean but it is a LOT of work!  All that being said, it is so worth the work!

Here is the recipe that I've used to can hot sauce for at least 15 years.  I had an older neighbor (she could be my grandmother) show me how to can.  One of the best skills I've ever learned!

Hot Sauce

16 cups fresh cored, peeled, and chopped tomatoes

3 cups chopped onion

1 cup chopped jalapeno peppers (more or less depending on the heat of the pepper and your tolerance for heat)

1/4 cup salt

1/3 cup sugar

2 cups vinegar

 Cook down until you get the consistency you like.  This can take about  1 1/2 hours to 2 hours.  Seal in prepared jars.  Makes about 8 pints.

This is before the cooking begins.

 

 

 

While cooking.

All sealed and ready to store.  I only had a partial amount of tomatoes ready so it made a smaller batch.  That's okay though, no tomato is ever wasted around here!