Chili Sauce

This is the kind of recipe your grandmother had tucked away on an index card, stained with tomato juice and vinegar splashes from years of canning season.

Fresh tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, and celery get chopped up and simmered with brown sugar, vinegar, and a bundle of pickling spices until everything melts down into a thick, tangy-sweet sauce.

Two and a half hours of slow bubbling concentrates all those garden flavors into something store-bought chili sauce can never match.

Bottle it up and you’ve got a condiment that works on meatloaf, burgers, eggs, or anywhere you’d reach for ketchup but want something with real character.

Pro Tips

• Use ripe, in-season tomatoes for the best flavor. Pale winter tomatoes won’t give you nearly enough sweetness or body.
• Tie the pickling spices tightly in cheesecloth so you can fish the bundle out easily when the sauce is done.
• Stir the pot every 20-30 minutes during the simmer to prevent sticking and scorching on the bottom.
• If canning, use sterilized jars and process in a water bath to ensure a proper seal for long-term storage.