Our Good Chili Sauce

Serves	18 cups
Inspiration	Grammy's recipe

Ingredients

1 1/2 Basket fresh ripe tomatoes (6 litres (quarts), skinned and medium chop)
5 Large onions (finely chopped)
1 bunch celery (finely chopped)
2 apples (chopped)
2 1/2 Cups white vinegar
3 Tbsp salt

Spices in Cheesecloth

3 to 4 Sticks cinnamon
1 Tbsp whole allspice
1 Tbsp whole cloves
2 - 3 Small hot red peppers

Vinegar Solution

3 Cups brown sugar
1 1/2 Cups white vinegar

Directions


Dip the tomatoes in boiling water for 14 seconds and then put in a cold water. The skins should slip off easily.

Remove the stems and chop in to medium size chunks. A mandolin will do a lovely job. Place the chopped tomatoes in a colander and let them drain for about 10 minutes.

Chop the onion and slice the celery using a mandolin or food processor. Peel the apples and chop finely. The apples will act as a natural pectin to thicken your sauce.

Simmer the tomatoes, celery, apples and onion in a kettle uncovered with the 2 1/2 cups of vinegar, spice bag and salt for 1 hour, stirring frequently.

Mix the vinegar solution of vinegar and brown sugar.

Add the vinegar solution to the tomato mixture. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered until thick, stirring frequently. Stirring prevents the sugary vinegar solution from sticking to the bottom of the pot.

Meanwhile, choose clean canning jars and fill them with boiling water. Take the snap lids and heat them in simmering water, so the rubber is activated. Fill a boiling water bath canner about 2/3 full of water and bring to a boil.

When the sauce is ready, remove the spice bag. Empty the water from the hot jars and ladle in the chili sauce, leaving about 1/4 inch of headroom. Wipe the top of the jars with a clean cloth, remove a hot lid from the simmering water and screw on a fastening ring.

Process the filled jars in batches (8 at a time) in the boiling water bath (covered) for 10 minutes.

Remove to a heat proof trivet and leave undisturbed for 12 hours. The lids will snap as the sauce cools. Write the date on the lid and store in a cool place.