Choose the sauce recipe and jar size
Use NCHFP Standard Tomato Sauce for plain, pressed tomato sauce. Open its full preparation instructions and select pints or quarts; record your kitchen elevation before preparing the batch.
BeginnerAllow cooking, processing and 12–24 hours cooling
Water Bath Tomato Sauce Guide
Can NCHFP Standard Tomato Sauce with measured acidification, recipe-specific headspace and a boiling-water schedule matched to jar size and elevation.
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Workflow
Prepare sauce and measured acid
Prepare and reduce the sauce as the source directs. Add bottled lemon juice or citric acid to each jar using the acidification table below. Keep jars hot and prepare lids according to their manufacturer.
Fill to ¼ inch and process
Fill hot sauce with ¼-inch headspace, remove trapped air and recheck the level. Wipe rims, fit lids and use the boiling-water schedule for this recipe and elevation. Start timing once the water returns to a full boil.
Cool, check and label
After processing, follow the canner instructions for removing jars. Leave upright and undisturbed for 12–24 hours, then check seals. Label the recipe, date and batch; consult the source’s instructions promptly if any jar failed to seal.
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Reference Materials
Acid per jarTable
Choose one of these acid options. These amounts belong to the tomato acidification instructions; acidification also applies to the source’s pressure-canning options.
| Jar | Bottled lemon juice | Citric acid |
|---|---|---|
| Pint | 1 tablespoon | ¼ teaspoon |
| Quart | 2 tablespoons | ½ teaspoon |
Boiling-water schedule for this plain sauceTable
Hot pack; ¼-inch headspace. Use the complete linked recipe, including its preparation and acidification steps.
| Elevation | Pint | Quart |
|---|---|---|
| 0–1,000 ft | 35 min | 40 min |
| 1,001–3,000 ft | 40 min | 45 min |
| 3,001–6,000 ft | 45 min | 50 min |
| Above 6,000 ft | 50 min | 55 min |
Keep additions for serving
Add your preferred vegetables, meat or thickeners after opening, or use a different tested recipe that includes them.
Plan the batch from actual sauce
Have extra suitable jars ready; tomato water content and reduction change the yield.
Safety Notes
- Use a jar lifter and keep your face away from steam.
- A sealed lid does not establish that an altered recipe or shortened process was adequate.