For us, the weekends aren’t complete without a spectacular serving of spaghetti and meatballs.
It’s a favorite for millions of Americans, and for good reason – it’s easy to make and looks good no matter how you serve it!
The traditional Italian spaghetti sauce is an integral part of this recipe. Sure you can get some off-the-shelf sauce, add it to your dish and call it a day, but where’s the fun in that?
Besides, there is something about homemade spaghetti sauce with all its traditional Italian goodness, tomato-based flavors, and an infusion of herbs that gives it that distinct flavor.
But we understand it can be a royal pain to make sauce every weekend because it does take some time and patience.
That’s why we have an excellent solution for you – start canning!
One of the biggest advantages of making your spaghetti sauce is that you could can it in different sized jars according to the amount you want. This way, you won’t ever waste any of the sauce or watch it moldering in the fridge if left in there for too long.
The spaghetti sauce needs to be pressure canned to keep it fresh for years at a time. Let’s learn more about the process.
Pressure Canning
It involves preserving food under pressure and extreme temperature that kills all types of bacteria and prevents spoilage. These low acid foods must be processed at a temperature of 240o F for a particular time, as detailed by the recipe you use.
Pressure canning kills bacteria that a water bath canning process cannot reach, making it the better option for food preservation.
How Does Pressure Canning Work?
It uses a pressurized container to raise temperatures beyond 240 degrees Fahrenheit, using less water than a water bath as the jars placed in the container are not covered with water.
This traps steam inside the container to raise the temperature and preserves food that would otherwise require acid to be added to it.
Tools Required For Pressure Canning
For a successful pressure canning process, you require the following tools:
- Pressure canner
- Preserving glass jars and lids
- Wooden spoon, ladle, knife
- Jar lifter
- Home canning funnel
Advantages Of Pressure Canning
There are several advantages to pressure canning, such as:
- Uses less water and less energy
- Allows you to store items without requiring a freezer or a cold cellar
- Retains the flavor and freshness of the ingredients
- you can control the type of ingredients added to these preserved foods
Why Does Spaghetti Sauce Need To Be Pressure Canned?
The key to safely can spaghetti sauce is first to ensure that the tomatoes are at a safe acidity level to prevent botulism.
Tomatoes are categorized as fruits, and the amount of acid in them varies over the season. Unripe tomatoes consist of a lot more acid as compared to fruit that has reached maturity.
That is why it is recommended to make spaghetti sauce or preserve tomato-based sauces through the pressure canning method that requires no acid to be added to the sauce and ensures that the taste remains fresh even after days.
So if you want homemade spaghetti sauce that’s made from scratch to amaze your guests or kids, opt for the pressure canning process to make a delicious sauce that sits on your shelf for days.
