Can you leave skin on tomatoes when making sauce? Why yes, you can!
NO-PEEL TOMATO SAUCE RECIPE:
INGREDIENTS:
• Tomatoes (as many as you have)
• Diced onion
• Diced garlic (more is better!)
• Minced carrots and celery (optional but good!)
• Fresh (or dried) Herbs such as Basil, Parsley Thyme, Rosemary
• Salt and Pepper to taste
Just core, slice in half and process the tomatoes in a food processor until smooth. Fry up some diced garlic, celery and onions (and carrots too for sweetness) in a little olive oil, then pour tomato mixture into stock pot and boil down for 30 minutes or so to condense. We also like to throw in some minced herbs that we have on hand like basil, parsley, thyme or rosemary. Let cool, then freeze in reusable containers or use right away. Yum!
Canning Method (Shelf-Stable):
1. Prepare boiling water bath in a large pot
with room for 4-6 quart-sized canning jars
(wash jars and lids with soap, rinse and then boil jars to disinfect.
Remove and drain water, set on a towel on countertop)
2. Put 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice per jar
(this makes it more acidic and shelf-stable)
with room for 4-6 quart-sized canning jars
(wash jars and lids with soap, rinse and then boil jars to disinfect.
Remove and drain water, set on a towel on countertop)
2. Put 2 tablespoons of bottled lemon juice per jar
(this makes it more acidic and shelf-stable)
3. Follow the directions above to make the sauce, transfer the hot tomato sauce into the hot jars, leave about 1 inch of headspace
4. Dip lids in boiling water, then wipe rims clean, put hot lids on top, then seal with bands
5. Process the jars in boiling water for 40 minutes, adjusting time for high altitude as needed.
Yeah, that's right: NO need to peel those tomatoes!
The skins are delicious and nutritious, too!
We like to throw in fresh oregano and basil at the end for an extra burst of flavor, and add salt and pepper to taste. You can even add peppers to this if desired. :)
So next time you have a ton of fresh homegrown heirloom tomatoes, save some time and skip the boiling and the tedious hand-burning tomato peeling – just grind them all up in a food processor and cook them down! That's what we do. This leaves us more time for pickling and gardening and other fun things! You can even freeze the sauce in freezer-safe containers for winter use. ;)
The final no-peel tomato sauce is a thick and delicious flavored marinara sauce that goes great with pasta, or for using for eggplant parmesan, pizza, you name it!
NO PEEL SALSA RECIPE:
You can also turn this into SALSA by letting this sauce cool. Then, add any hot peppers of your choosing (or even super hot peppers), a bunch of chopped cilantro, and freshly diced onions (soak strong onions first in cold water for 20 minutes and drain them to sweeten). We also like to add lots of freshly chopped garlic to the salsa to add heat and loads of flavor. Enjoy with chips or on tacos!
