Favorite Chili Sauce

This is old-fashioned chili sauce the way your grandmother made it: 25 ripe tomatoes scalded, peeled, seeded, and cooked down with red bell peppers, onions, celery, and garlic until thick enough to coat a spoon. Apple cider vinegar and brown sugar give it that signature tangy-sweet backbone, while whole allspice in a bag infuses warmth without leaving gritty bits behind.

The key step most recipes skip is ladling off the clear liquid that rises to the top as the tomatoes boil. Removing that watery juice concentrates the flavor faster and keeps the sauce from taking forever to thicken.

Expect about 90 minutes of simmering after you add the vinegar and spices. Stir occasionally toward the end when the sauce gets thick; it scorches easily once the water content drops.

Chef Tips

• Use peak-season, dead-ripe tomatoes for the best flavor; mealy off-season tomatoes make bland sauce
• Squeeze seeds out over a strainer to catch any pulp you’d otherwise lose
• The allspice bag makes cleanup easy; just lift it out when the flavor is right
• Process in sterilized jars while the sauce is still hot for a proper seal

Variations

• Add a few dried chili peppers to the spice bag for a spicier version
• Stir in a tablespoon of smoked paprika for a deeper, smokier profile
• Use white vinegar instead of apple cider if you prefer a sharper, less fruity tang