First wash the tomatoes. Then fill the outer blanching pot (or any large pot) ⅔ full with hot water and bring to a boil. Add the tomatoes and scald for 3 minutes. (The skins will start to crack, indicating they are ready). Place the drainer insert into the sink. Poor the tomatoes from the blanching pot into the drainer insert, and rinse with cold water or ice water. Place the drainer insert with the tomatoes back into the blanching pot to transfer to the Sauce Master Food Strainer.

Carefully add the tomatoes to the sauce master and process through the mill. Place a medium bowl below the shoot to catch the tomato sauce or tomato puree, and a small bowl below the open grind end to catch the tomato skins and seeds. See “Important Notes” section below for alternative methods.

Combine the puréed tomatoes, sugar, and Mrs.Wages Pasta Sauce mix into a large non-reactive pot or saucepan. (There should be about 10 cups of puréed tomatoes - if I am doing multiple batches I will measure out 10 cups for each batch.)

Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes, still stirring occasionally.

Add hot water to a little over ½ of the water bath canner and bring to a boil.

Using a canning funnel and a ladle, pour the hot pasta sauce into the sterilized jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Remove air bubbles and wipe the jar rim with a clean damp cloth or papertowel. Using the magnet lid lifter tool, grab the jar lid from the small sauce pan, and carefully place it on the jar. Loosely screw the rings onto the lids to ensure the lids stay in place.

Place the jars on the inner wire rack of the water bath canner and lower it into the boiling water. Add the lid to the canner. Process for 40 minutes in boiling water.

After the 40 minutes is up, turn off the heat and carefully remove the canner lid. Grab the metal insert by the handles (with oven mitts) and raise the jars up, carefully hooking the handles onto the edge of the water bath canner. Let the jars sit for 5 minutes.

Lay out a hand towel or a doubled up flour sack towel on a counter surface. This will act as a barrier between the hot jars and cool counter, preventing the counter and keeping the jars from bursting with the drastic temperature change. Using the jar lifter tool, carefully remove the jars from the wire insert and place them on the towel. Allow jars to sit and cool, undisturbed, for 12-24 hours. Test jars for airtight seals. The lids will not “pop” when pushed down on and will not pop off when pulled up on.