We make this sauce in August when we have more tomatoes than we know what to do with. We love the “hearty without meat” flavor it brings to a wide variety of dishes. Another plus: it maintains it’s unique, smokey flavor through the canning process. In our version of the Italian-American classic, chicken parmesan, it brings a new dimension of flavor to an old dish. Also, it’s delicious in pasta bakes, tossed with veggies as a quick side dish or over make-ahead meatballs for a meal in short order.
Ingredients for Smokey Tomato Sauce
- 8 lbs. fresh tomatoes (preferably a paste tomato such as Roma or San Marzano), halved
- 2 large sweet onions, halved
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 T. olive oil
- 1/4 C. white wine
- 1/2 t. salt
- 2 T. fresh basil, finely chopped
- 1/2 – 3/4 T. molasses
- 1 T. butter
- Hickory wood chips
Instructions
Arrange the tomatoes and onions, facing up, in grill-safe baskets or pans and smoke over a low fire for about 1 hour, adding wood chips every 10 minutes.
STEP 2
Remove onions first, chop and sauté over high heat with olive oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan until soft and clear. Add garlic and cook for 30 – 60 seconds, then turn heat to lowest setting and cover.
STEP 3
Remove tomatoes from the grill and peel them as much as you can. Add tomatoes to the pot of onions and break them down using a potato masher. Bring sauce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
STEP 4
Add white wine and salt. (At this point you can use a stick blender or potato masher to break down the sauce further if you prefer a smoother textured sauce.)
STEP 5
Add basil and cook sauce until it is reduced by about 1/3. This will take 1 – 2 hours. Finish sauce with molasses and butter and use or can immediately. (Learn here how to go about canning your sauces.)
(Makes 10 – 12 cups.)