Chili Sauce – Classic Homemade Recipe
Every harvest season I try to do a bunch of canning. I will make different preserves each year. The one thing that I have to make every year is my wife’s family chili sauce.
She remembers having her family chili sauce growing up and there is nothing that matches it for her.
So, every September, when tomatoes are available by the bushel I make 20-30 jars of the stuff. That gives us enough to last the year as well as some to give away to family and friends.
Below is the traditional family recipe that is three generations old.
Homemade Sweet Chili Sauce
Step by step guide to making your own home made sweet country style chili sauce. This recipe is three generations old and oh so tasty!
Ingredients
- 11 quarts tomatoes (44 cups)
- 3 cups green peppers , diced
- 4 cups onions , diced
- 1 cup vinegar
- 1/4 cup pickling spice
- 8 cups sugar
- 4 tbsp dried chili peppers
Instructions
- To prepare the tomatoes you need to remove the skin and chop or crush them. Fill a large pot 3/4 full and heat the water so it is almost boiling. Drop a bunch of tomatoes in the pot, about 10 at a time. Leave in the pot for about 5 minutes or so. Then transfer them to a sink filled with cold water. After the tomatoes are cool (5 minutes or so), take a knife and slit the skin. The tomato skin should peel off easily. Once, peeled, they can be chopped or crushed in a food grinder. Do this with all the tomatoes.
- In a pot large enough, add all the ingredients. Bring to a boil and low to a very low boil. Stir it regularly. Cook the sauce for about 4 hours. The sauce should reduce in size and thicken. Ensure that the sauce is not sticking to the bottom of the pot and burning.
- Pour the chili sauce in sterilized jars, seal and process them in a hot water bath for 15 minutes for 250ml jars, 20 minutes for 500ml jars and 30 minutes for 1 litre jars.
