Homemade Spaghetti/Marinara Sauce for Canning and Freezing

INGREDIENTS

• 12 cups peeled, drained, and chopped tomatoes (see note)
  
• 1 cup finely chopped green bell pepper, about 1 large pepper
  
• 1 cup finely chopped red bell pepper, about 1 large pepper
  
• 2 cups finely chopped white or yellow onions, about 3 medium onions
  
• 3 cans (6-ounces each) tomato paste
  
• ½ cup vegetable or canola oil
  
• ¼ to ½ cup granulated or brown sugar
  
• 3 tablespoons salt, I use canning salt, see note for options
  
• 2 tablespoons finely minced garlic, about 6 cloves
  
• 1 ½ tablespoons dried oregano
  
• 1 ½ tablespoons dried basil
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
  
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 bay leaf
  
• ½ cup bottled lemon juice
  

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Combine all the ingredients except the lemon juice in a large 8-quart pot, stir to combine well, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, stirring often. Take out the bay leaf and discard. For a smoother consistency, use an immersion blender or transfer the sauce to a blender to process until smooth (optional).
  
• Pour 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into the bottom of sterilized, hot quart jars. Ladle in spaghetti sauce within 1/2-inch of the top. Wipe the rim of the jar with a clean, damp cloth. Place a canning lid and ring on each jar.
  
• Process the spaghetti sauce in a water or steam bath canner for 40 minutes (add 5 minutes if you live at 1,001 to 3,000 feet – if you live at higher elevation than that, you’ll want to use a water bath canner since steam bath canners shouldn’t be used to process jars longer than 45 minutes).
  
• Remove the jars carefully from the water or steam bath and let cool to room temperature. Check to make sure the jars have sealed correctly (lightly press the top of the lid; it should be firm – if the center bubbles up and down when you press on it, it hasn’t sealed correctly and will need to be refrigerated or re-processed).