Canning Roasted Tomato Soup

Roast the Tomatoes:

• • Preheat the oven to 375˚F (190°C). Wash the tomatoes, cut them in half, and remove the seeds and core.

• Place the halved tomatoes, cut side up, on rimmed baking sheets or roasting pans in a single layer and season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.
• Roast the tomatoes in the preheated oven until soft, approximately 30 to 60 minutes (depending on size). Remove from the oven and let the roasted tomatoes cool briefly.
• When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, remove the skins and coarsely chop. Save all the flavorful liquid, including any in the sheet pans.

Make the Tomato Soup:

• • Place a large saucepan or Dutch oven on the stove and heat the olive oil over medium heat.
  • Once the oil is hot, add the prepared onions, minced garlic, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper. Sauté them briefly until aromatic and cook until the onions turn tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Pour in the dry white wine, using it to deglaze the pan by scraping up any flavorful bits stuck to the bottom. Cook and stir until the wine evaporates.

• Add the roasted and chopped tomatoes, along with the chicken stock (or vegetable stock), sugar, and basil leaves.
• Stir to combine, and let the soup simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent any sticking. Then remove the saucepan from the heat, and let the soup cool slightly before blending.
• Puree the soup to a smooth consistency using an immersion blender or process it in batches using a blender or food processor. Return the pureed soup to the pot and bring it back to a simmer at around 180°F / 82°C, and keep it hot as you fill your jars.

Prepare the Canner and Jars:

• • While the soup is simmering, preheat your jars in the canner.
  • Place the jar rack into the pressure canner, and fill it with water per your pressure canner manufacturer’s instructions: Presto is 3 quarts, Mirro is 2 quarts, and All American is 2 to 3 inches.

• Fill the clean jars halfway with hot water, and then place them on the rack in the canner.
• Bring the canner to a simmer for 10 minutes (180°F / 82°C). Keep them hot until you are ready to fill them.

Fill the Jars:

• Lay a towel on the counter. Use your jar lifter to remove a jar from the canner. Pour out the water (save it for washing dishes), and place it on the towel. Keep the remaining jars in the canner so they stay hot.
• Use your canning funnel and ladle to fill the jar with the hot tomato soup, leaving 1-inch headspace.
• Remove air bubbles with the bubble popper, wipe the rim to remove any residue, center a lid on the jar, and screw on a band until it is fingertip tight.
• Use the jar lifter to place the jar back into the canner and repeat with the remaining jars.

Process in a Pressure Canner:

• Place the lid on the canner and lock it. Leave the vent open, adjust the heat to medium-high, and bring the canner to a boil. Allow the pressure canner to vent steam for 10 minutes, place the pressure regulator on top of the air vent, and let the pressure rise.
• Once the canner has reached the correct pressure (10 pounds for weighted gauge and 11 pounds for dial gauge pressure canner), set a timer and process pint jars for 50 minutes, and quarts for 60 minutes at altitudes of less than 1,000 ft.
• Adjust for your altitude if necessary (see chart below), and regulate the heat as needed to maintain a steady pressure.
• When the processing time is complete, turn off the heat, and let the pressure canner cool down to 0 pressure. Once the canner is depressurized, let the canner cool additional 10 minutes before removing the lid.
• Spread a dry towel on the counter, unlock the cover, and remove it by tilting the lid away from you so that steam does not burn your face.
• Allow another 10 minutes for the jars to adjust to the change in pressure. Then, if the jars are still boiling vigorously, let them sit in the canner for another 5 minutes or until the boiling slows.
• Use the jar lifter to lift jars carefully from the canner and place them on the towel. Keep the jars upright, and don’t tighten bands or check the seals yet. Let the jars sit undisturbed for 12 to 24 hours to cool.
• After 12 to 24 hours, check to be sure the jar lids have sealed by pushing on the center. The cover should not pop up. The jar failed to seal if the top flexes up and down. Refrigerate it and use it within a few days.
• Remove the screw-on bands and wash the sealed jars in warm soapy water. Label, date, and store in a cool, dark place for 12 to 18 months. Once opened, refrigerate and use up within a week. Yields about 6 pints or 3 quart jars of roasted tomato soup.