Tom, you're right about toxin vs. spores, that was a "thinko". But it only takes a tiny bit of toxin to make you sick. There was one report from whoever counts botulism cases about a lady who opened a jar of carrots, dipped her finger in and tasted the liquid, then decided to throw out the carrots in case of botulism. The tiny taste was enough to make her sick...I think she died but I can't remember. So what I meant was, when you open the jar, a little splash onto your fingers or the counter could be enough to make you sick. See the link below to a fact sheet from the UPitt medical center on aerosolized botulinum toxin, which says "Animal models suggest that inhaling 0.7-0.9 µg of aerosolized botulinum toxin would be enough to kill a person weighing 154 lbs." That's not very much, so depending how friendly the sauce was to the spores, the concentration in the jar could be enough to produce a dangerous splash. I also found an article in JAMA that references botulinum toxin as the most poisonous substance known. I take some risks for myself, like eating raw milk cheese and dishes made with undercooked eggs, but since Valereee has a family, I think the risk is too great. She could can a different sauce for her family to use when she's not home, and save Mama Finocchiaro's Tomato Gravy for when she's home. Melissa Here is a link that might be useful: botulism fact sheet

Acidification is required in "plain" tomato products. I believe it has to do with the variability in acid content. (i.e., they can't test everyone's individual tomatoes to determine acidity). The recipe above was probably tested with lower acid types to ensure it would be safe no matter what. The guidelines are published after extensive testing. Many are typical "governmental CYA". They won't say it's safe unles they've done the testing. They tell people NOT to do things that they haven't tested. Yes, there are probably safe ways to "can salsa in quarts" for example, but because no testing has been done, they recommend "NO quarts". Clear as mud? So, there are times when the information seems to conflict like adding acid to plain tomatoes, but not to tomatoes with low acid ingredients added. It's because this ONE recipe has been tested. They aren't recommending "free reign" with ingredients and quantities, but are willing to ensure the safety of this one. That's why it's important to stick to tested recipes. The risk factor is high when people get "creative". The government is always going to err on the side of caution. A couple of other comments from above: I think the difference between 'sauce' and 'crushed' is texture and thickness. Sauce would be smooth and thicker, Crushed would still have some chunks of tomato with a more watery sauce. And, you mentioned that your pressure canner isn't big enough to do quarts. That is another concern. You need a canner (not cooker) that is large enough to fit 4 quarts, or it doesn't function adequately for canning. You can cook in a canner, but sometimes you can't can in a cooker. :+) say that fast five timessize> Lastly, you mentioned that you can put enough water in your canner to cover quarts. I hope you're not pressure canning with water covering quarts. There should just be a couple of inches in the bottom for Pressure canning. If you are using the same pot for water bath, then I misunderstood what you wrote. Deanna

The instructions for crushed tomatoes is pretty specific in how the tomatoes are to be processed. - wooden mallet. Best to think of them as smashed tomatoes while yours will be pureed. :) Pureed tomatoes are more of a sauce, especially since you are using Romas. So it will have a thicker density than regular crushed tomatoes would. So since you are making 'sauce',I would use the tomato sauce processing instructions. That means adding the same, normal amount of acid and heating them to boiling first and hot packing. JMO Dave

Basic canned tomatoes types: Whole tomatoes -- peeled, partially cooked, in tomato juice Diced tomatoes -- cut up, peeled, packed in crushed tomatoes Crushed tomatoes -- peeled and squashed Tomato puree -- peeled, seeded, milled to a totally smooth texture Tomato sauce -- cooked, about the consistency of slightly thick puree with basic seasoning Tomato paste -- peeled, seeded, milled, and reduced to remove water and concentrate flavor Tomato juice -- pressed, lots of tomato water with fine solids Stewed tomatoes -- peeled but with seeds, cooked with seasonings and vegetables until partially broken up. Come in a variety of flavors. Not all stores carry all types. Most of the above come in seasoned and/or "fire roasted" (charred) versions as well. How "ick" canned tomatoes are depends on the quality of the tomatoes and the quality of the can. Poorly canned ones taste like metal. ICK! Good ones just taste like tomatoes. I can make my own, but when I do, they don't taste different from the good canned ones.