Homemade Tomato Paste

Sharon123's Note:

This makes a great gift and is so useful in your cupboard! Adapted from Razzle Dazzle Recipes and changed a bit! This may be canned or poured into ice cube trays and frozen, to use when needed!

• Total Time: 4 hrs 20 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hrs

Ingredients:

Yield: 9 1/2 pin ...

• 8 quarts roma tomatoes, about 4 dozen (or other meaty tomatoes)
• 1 1/2 cups sweet red peppers, chopped (about 3)
• 1 cup chopped onion (optional)
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons oregano (optional)
• 1 -2 tablespoon honey (optional-if you want it a little sweeter)
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped

Directions:

1. Wash and trim tomatoes. Blanch and remove skin if desired, or press through sieve when done cooking.
2. Combine tomatoes, red peppers,onions, bay leaves, basil,oregano, honey, if using, and salt in a large stockpot and cook slowly for about 1 hour.
3. Press through a fine sieve. Add garlic, and continue cooking slowly until thick enough to keep its shape on a spoon, about 2 1/2 hours. Stir frequently to keep from sticking.(this could be done in a crockpot-just stir and keep an eye on it).
4. Pour through sieve(if you left the skins on), then pour into hot 1/2 pint canning jars, leaving 1/2" headspace.
5. Process 1/2 pints 45 minutes in a boiling water bath.
6. Makes about 9 1/2 pint jars.

Reviews

[hobbgal]

Very good! I put all the veggies through the Vita Mix and then added everything else except the honey. I didn't have an onion so I used 1 teaspoon onion granules. I had to simmer it for an evening and most of a day to get it to reduce, but it was worth it! Soooo very good! I am going to buy some more tomatoes and make another 1 or 2 batches! Thank you so much for this recipe. I also trust this recipe because it is almost like the recipe on the University of Georgia site! I also water bath canned it for 45 minutes.

[Catnip46]

It doesn't get better than this for a home made tomato paste. I added the things you put in there just in a different form. I had all these yellow tomatoes that ripen at the same time so that's what I used. I used ground red pepper, onion & garlic salt, the bay leaves, dried basil, dried oregano, and salt.
I too had trouble getting it thicker. The first day I simmered for 3 hrs. After refrigerating over night I noticed a lot of water on top so I siphoned this off and simmered again for 3 hrs. I finally had to add some cornstarch slurry to it. It still didn't get as thick as I would have liked but it will do.
I left out the honey as yellow tomatoes are very sweet. This is so-so-so good. I froze in ice cube trays. You do have to get use to them being yellow instead of red though. Sharon123 thanks so much for posting

[sdlawrence]

Amazing, thank you! The flavors from the other ingredients are so subtle, and in the most perfect way. I did one batch with Roma, and also one with San Marzano, both fresh and vine ripened from the garden. Both pastes turned out great, but the depth of flavor of San Marzano batch is superior by a long shot. If you have access to San Marzano tomatoes, by all means substitute! (done growing Roma's after this side-by-side taste test).