Yellow Tomato Sauce

No sooner had I complained that I had more yellow tomatoes (Big Rainbows, specifically) than I wanted, I realized that I was going to have to find a way to make sauce from them.  This is in spite of the fact that I generally regard yellow tomatoes as being less acidic and therefore trickier to can, not to mention the fact that I like my tomato sauce red.  In this case, a tomato is a tomato, and I need some sauce in the cupboard for winter, so it was time to get inventive.

To combat the acid problem, I increased the amount of added lemon juice to 1 teaspoon for a pint, when standard recommendations are half a teaspoon for a pint, a whole teaspoon for a quart. (This is a standard practice to increase the acid before water bath canning, since modern hybrid tomatoes are typically bred to be less acidic in conformance with modern tastes.  Another good reason to grow heirlooms.)

I also threw a few red Amish Paste tomatoes in the mix.  (I'm not giving a specific recipe here, because I literally picked up a shirt full of tomatoes -- how many every I could carry in my shirt -- and followed standard canning procedures.  If you want a specific recipe, let me know in the comments section and I'll do a sauce-canning article.)

And the results are -- surprisingly good!  This sauce has a sweetness that I think will pair nicely with the pork sausage I just finished putting up, so I'm thinking this will be a good topping for homemade pasta one weekend this winter.  It really has a slightly different character than does the all-red sauce.

Now, let's be honest:  the stuff looks like baby food.  I don't see any way around that, other than to add some green to the plate when serving and hope for the best.  But it tastes yummy, and that is one meal idea into the pantry for those busy winter days.

The Analysis

Fast:  Barbara Kingsolver calls canned goods "fast food paid for in time up front."  I totally agree.

Cheap:  Is home-canned tomato sauce cheaper than store bought?  Probably, with the price of organics rising and the low cost of home-canned tomato sauce, especially since I grew these tomatoes from seed instead of buying pricey plants. 

Good:  This sauce is sweet and yummy.  I'm looking forward to having it this winter.