The best secret...?

I have a friend Catie who has the best advice.  She's an extremely talented sewer and she has a sister in law who shared with her a great secret for making jams, etc.

It was a secret to me, but maybe it's not to you.

Have you ever heard of canning in the oven?

Me neither.

Supposedly if you usually use a water bath canner to process your canned goods, you can substitute the oven for the water bath.  Process as many jars (as many sizes as you want) at 200 degrees for 68 minutes.  That's right. 68 minutes.

I had pizza sauce to can the other night, and with crossed fingers, I tried it, hoping that I wouldn't have to throw the whole batch out.

After all, these are precious commodities in the garden that don't last all that long unfortunately.

I used my copycat Pizza Hut Pizza Sauce recipe as follows:  (this makes alot, so I always reduce the recipe down.)

2 1/2 gal. tomato juice                    1/2 gal. (64 oz.) tomato paste

8-10 onions, chopped                     1 c sugar

4 green peppers, chopped               2 T basil

2 T hot peppers, chopped               2 T oregano

1 pt. salad oil                                  1 T italian seasoning

2 T parsley                                     1 t garlic powder

1/2 c salt                                        6 bay leaves

3 T McNess pizza seasoning

Simmer all ingredients for 1 hour.  Put in jars and cold pack 10 minutes.  Makes 13 quarts.

I went to work, filled my jars, sealed the lids on, put them on a cookie sheet (all 12 pints) and slid them in the  200 degree oven for 68 minutes.

They ALL came out and popped.  NO PROBLEMS WITH SEALING!

It was amazing.

I was giddy.  This will revolutionize all the former water bath canning I do.  I can get so many more done at a time!

So tell me...is this really a secret?  All the seasoned canners I told at my church meeting last night couldn't wait to try it....they all whipped their pens out of their purses and wrote it down.

Best advice I've heard all week!

Thanks Catie!  You're the best!