Ingredients
- 6.5 kg tomatoes
- 4 large onions, roughly chopped
- 2 kg sugar
- 100g plain salt
- 25g black peppercorns
- 25g whole cloves
- 50g whole allspice
- 4 teaspoons (20ml) glacial acetic acid*
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Method
1. Place the tomatoes and onions into a large heavy based preserving pan.
2. Cook over a gentle heat until a reasonably amount of liquid has been released and then add the sugar and salt.
3. Tie the peppercorns, cloves and allspice in a piece of muslin and add to the pan.
4. Gently boil the mixture for 2-3 hours until the mixture is thick, stir at times.
5. Pass the sauce through a mouli to remove seeds and skins. Alternatively you can remove skins manually and puree with a blender. Return sauce to the washed out pan and bring to the boil. Remove from heat and add acetic acid and cayenne pepper, stir to combine.
6. Pour the sauce through a funnel into sterilised bottles and seal when cold.
*Glacial acetic acid is bought at pharmacies. It is a preservative and is highly concentrated hence the small amount used. Glacial acetic acid eliminates the need for vinegar which is a very diluted form of the same. Take care when handling glacial acetic acid and make sure it doesn’t come in contact with skin at all.
Love this sauce soooo yummy
Where can I purchase glacial acetic acid in NZ
Hi Wendy, it is a matter of phoning around pharmacies and seeing who has it. I bought mine this year from Auckland City pharmacy. They couriered it to me.
They can order it in so it is a matter of asking a store to do so.
i have made this recipe again this year.Its so tasty.One of my lots i made with black tomatoes, still tasty but the colour was just darker.any other recipes to use black tomatoes???
I found this recipe extremely sweet – I added more tomatoes and also a whole packet of chipotle chillies! It’s still awesome – just a little sweet for my taste – the acetic acid must be what they flavour salt & vinegar chips with – I gave it a sniff – wowee!!!!
This recipe is very similar to mine and it is really good, tasty and a good colour. Don’t know whether it is the glacial acetic acid, but it sure is a good keeper too.
How would this go using malt vinegar?. I usually prefer malt to the white as I think it has a more mellow flavour.
Can you please tell me which chemist on the north shore Auckland sells glacial acetic acid. I have tried 4 chemists (Glenfield and Birkenhead) but they don’t stock it. I would like to make your tomato sauce recipe thanks Lois
My Just Tomatoe Sauce Given to me in the 70’s by a lady in Ch Ch who’s family grew tomatoes.
3.5kg toms. 1kg sugar 50grms plain salt 2pkts. pickling spice 600mls malt vinegar.
Boil altogether for approx. 21/2hrs . Makes 2Ltrs. if there is more continue to boil . Very Nice
opps! forgot to tell you to sieve then bottle. sorry D.D
If we only have vinegar, do you have a suggestion on how much to use?
Thanks,
Laura
I would suggest 1 litre of malt vinegar.
Helen, I’m curious to know what the advantages would be in using acetic acid instead of vinegar?
Less reduction needed but the I think the flavour is better too.
However I haven’t blind tasted a vinegar vs acetic acid sauce so I am only surmising.
just made your tomato sauce today. Best ever tomato sauce.wasnt sure about using the glasical acetic acid. Recipe was so easy. Taste outstanding. surprised I was able to get the acetic acid here in Alexandra.
I usually use a tomato sauce recipe ,Allison Goftons mothers. Your recipe, taste was far nicer, although I added a few chillies.
Where would I get acetic acid from – and is it ok to bought good store bought tomatoes?
Hi Kate, acetic acid is either supermarket or pharmacy and it is simply a concentrated form of what you get in vinegar to preserve food. Hope that makes sense.
Last year we bought our tomatoes at the produce place on Kirkbride Road – out towards the airport. They have saucing tomatoes that are reasonably priced and also the right tomatoes for making sauce.
I have registered but have not been sent a Security Code Thankyou Betty Cadwalolader