Easy Chili Sauce

Lennie's Note:

This makes a nice small batch, and it's easy to make more! Particularly tasty served with a meat-and-potatoes dinner. And if you heat it up with hot peppers or more cayenne, it can pass as a salsa.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 45 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hrs 30 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 7 cups

• 2 (28 ounce) cans Italian plum tomatoes , undrained
• 1 cup cider vinegar
• 2 medium apples , peeled,cored and diced
• 1 large onion , peeled and diced
• 1 cup finely chopped celery
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 1⁄8; teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Use large tins (28-ounce) of plum tomatoes and do NOT drain.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large heavy pot.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, until thick-- about 90 minutes.
4. Tomatoes will break apart as they cook, although you can help this along by pressing them against the side of the pot with a wooden spoon.
5. Stir chili sauce often as it cooks.
6. Pour chili sauce into hot, sterilized jars and seal.
7. Process in a hot water bath if you wish, but I store these jars in the back of my fridge-- they don't take up too much room because they seem to be eaten quickly!
8. Recipe makes seven cups; I always do up 2 pint jars for my family then put the rest in 1-cup size jars to give away.

Reviews

[carole in orlando]

Very easy and good tasting! I made it several days ago and my husband loves it. Thanks, Carole in Orlando

[Tebo]

Superb actually!! Easy to make and tastes much better than the bought Heinz type in my opinion. I added some garlic, worcestershire, liquid smoke and tabasco. I will freeze this in one cup chunks for future use. Thanks Lennie.