Water bath canning tomto sauce with spices?

[sosurreal09]

I am having a heck of a time finding a recipe for spaghetti sauce for water bath canning. I know you need too add acid, but can I put in any spices or does it have to be just plain tomatoes?

[alittlesandy]

I simply can the normal recipe I use (which is not a canning recipe). I can using the water bath method. I add one TBS lemon juice and 1/4 tsp salt to each jar. Have been doing this for over ten years and have never had a batch go bad and have never gotten sick.

[rhianna813]

Yes I think water bath canning just plain tomatoes with an add acid like lemon juice is fine. I am sure adding salt or dried herbs/spices would be ok too. It's adding low acid items like fresh onions, garlic, mushrooms - and definitely meat, which need a pressure canner.

Rhianna

[alittlesandy]

Mine has onions, peppers, and garlic, but no mushrooms or meat.

[rhianna813]

Here's a good site with tons of home canning info and recipes for tomatoes:

http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/can3_tomato.html

Rhianna

[JElaineB]

Originally Posted by alittlesandy 

Mine has onions, peppers, and garlic, but no mushrooms or meat.

A tomato sauce with the ingredients you use needs to be pressure canned to be safe.

[alittlesandy]

Maybe so, but we've been canning two-dozen quarts a year for fourteen years with no problems.

[Llyra]

The issue with canning tomatoes in a water bath, with other ingredients added, is that there is a risk that the acidity will be too low. Having done it before, with no ill effects, doesn't make it safe-- it just means you've been lucky so far. Frankly, it's not a risk I'd take. People think, oh, if I get sick, oh well, but botulism is not a simple vomit-and-diarrhea illness. It is a deadly intoxication with neurological effects. The risk of death is lower, now that we have antitoxin available, but it is still not something to take chances with-- even people who receive prompt treatment will often require weeks of supportive care to fully recover. Therefore, I use only canning recipes that have been thoroughly tested by a recognized authority.

Other people may choose to take that risk, and that's their choice, but I personally would not.

OP-- my take on it would be that if you can't find a tested recipe that use the ingredients you want to use, it's probably safer not to use them.

[jenniepaige]

I have heard mixed things about tomatoes and canning. Tomatoes are actually a border line acidity food and I would err on the safe side and do pressure canning. Especially when adding the other ingredients like you mentioned.