Jesse’s Red Pepper Hot Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 qts chopped, peeled, cored tomatoes
• 1 1/2 c chopped & seeded red peppers (mostly chilis and some red serranos in 2021)
• 1 qt vinegar
• 1 c sugar
• 1 T pickling salt
• 2 T pickling spices

Instructions

1. In a stainless steel saucepan, combine tomatoes, peppers and 2 cups vinegar. Cook until soft, then purée. Return to saucepan with sugar, salt and pickling spices tied in a cheesecloth bag (I emptied a tea bag and used that).
2. Stirring frequently, sir the sauce until it thickens. Add remaining vinegar and continue to cook to desired consistency.
3. Ladle hot sauce into a hot jar to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of top rim (headspace). Using nonmetallic utensil, remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim removing any stickiness. Centre sealing disc on jar; apply screw band securely & firmly until resistance is met -- fingertip tight. Do not overtighten. Place jar in canner; repeat for remaining sauce.
4. Cover canner; bring water to a boil. At altitudes up to 1000 ft (305 m), process –boil filled jars – 15 minutes.*
5. Remove jars without tilting. Cool upright, undisturbed 24 hours; DO NOT RETIGHTEN screw bands. After cooling check jar seals. Sealed discs curve downward. Remove screw bands; wipe and dry bands and jars. Store screw bands separately or replace loosely on jars, as desired. Label and store jars in a cool, dark place.

Notes