Whoa! I hate to disagree, but I'd be very careful about adding garlic. It's a low-acid veggie and in sufficient amounts would lead to problems. You could use some and reduce another low-acid veggie like onion to compensate. The same is true of fresh herbs. All those amendments must be accounted for one way or another. Roasting MAY not be a problem if you make sure your sauce does not get too thick (adding red wine would help restore the consistency). What I mean is that density is also an issue in processing as it affects heat penetration. Tested recipes are predicated on density as well as pH. That's why canning something like creamed corn takes so long. It's not just low-acid; it's very starchy. There are some excellent tested pasta sauces posted on the Forum. You might compare your recipe to these: Chunky Basil Pasta Sauce Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Canning & Preserving Dressings, Marinades, Sauces Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 8 cups (2 L) coarsely chopped peeled tomatoes -- (about 9-12 tomatoes or 4 lb/2 kg) 1 cup chopped onion -- (250 mL) 3 cloves garlic -- minced 2/3 cup red wine -- (150 mL) 1/3 cup red wine vinegar (5 % strength) -- (75 mL) 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil -- (125 mL) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley -- (15 mL) 1 teaspoon pickling salt -- (5 mL) 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar -- (2 mL) 1 6-oz/156 mL) can tomato paste Combine tomatoes, onion, garlic, wine, vinegar, basil, parsley, salt, sugar and tomato paste in a very large non-reactive pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 40 minutes or until mixture reaches desired consistency, stirring frequently. Remove hot jars from canner and ladle sauce into jars to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of rim (head space). Process 35 minutes for pin (500 mL) jars and 40 minutes for quart (1 L) jars in a BWB. Description: "from Ellie Topp's "Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving" Yield: "8 cups" Multi-Use Tomato Sauce Recipe By : Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Canning & Preserving Dressings, Marinades, Sauces Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 10 plum tomatoes -- (about 2 1/2 lbs./1 kg) 10 large tomatoes -- peeled and chopped (about 4 lbs./2 kg) 4 large garlic cloves -- minced 2 large stalks celery -- chopped 2 medium carrots -- chopped 1 large onion -- chopped 1 large zucchini -- chopped 1 large sweet green pepper -- chopped 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes -- (125 mL) 2/3 cup dry red wine -- (150 mL) 1/2 cup red wine vinegar (5% strength or more) -- (125 mL) 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon pickling salt -- (15 mL) 2 teaspoons dried oregano -- (10 mL) 2 teaspoons dried basil -- (10 mL) 1 teaspoon granulated sugar -- (5 mL) (optional) 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon -- (2 mL) (optional) 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper -- (2 mL) 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley -- (50 mL) Combine tomatoes, celery, garlic, onion, zucchini and green pepper in a very large non-reactive pan. Add 1 cup (250 mL) water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat and boil gently, covered, for 25 minutes or until mixture begins to thicken, stirring occasionally. Soak sun-dried tomatoes in boiling water until softened. Drain and dice. Add to sauce with wine, vinegar, bay leaves, salt, oregano, basil, sugar, cinamon and pepper. Continue to boil gently until desired consistency, stirring frequently. Discard bay leaves and stir in parsley. Remove hot jars from canner and ladle sauce into jars to within 1/2 inch (1 cm) of rim (head space). Process in a BWB 35 minutes for pint (500 mL) jars and 40 minutes for quart (1 L) jars. Description: "from Ellie Topp's "Complete Book of Small-Batch Preserving" Yield: "12 cups" If you're interested in a spaghetti sauce with meat, check the NCHFP link below. It's not entirely true that everything can be pressure-canned. Certainly many foods can be, but as a rule-of-thumb, eggs, dairy, oils, flour or cornstarch-thickened products cannot be processed. There are a very few tested recipes that are exceptions, but when looking for a new recipe that falls into one of these categories be very careful that it does come from a reliable source. Also, again there are density issues which limit what you can. So, for example, one change since your grandmother's time is that pureed squash is no longer canned. Only chunks are recommended because further testing determined there were inconsistencies in water content and pH with home-grown squash and serious heat-penetration problems. So that rule was changed. By the same token, though some of us occasionally use litmus or a pH meter, it isn't an infallible method. If you're talking about a sauce with chunks of things, the problem is that the litmus even of a blended sample does not allow for the fact that a low-acid chunk in a high-acid mixture may provide a safe harbor for botulism. For that reason it can be a mistake to rely on litmus. Carol Here is a link that might be useful: Spaghetti Sauce with Meat

"Pressure canners come deep enough for one layer of quart or smaller size jars, or deep enough for two layers of pint or smaller size jars. The USDA recommends that a canner be large enough to hold at least 4 quart jars to be considered a pressure canner for its published processes. " If you go to the Presto site, nowdays you will see they only list the larger size as canners. They have 18 quart and 23 quart. Anything smaller is under cookers. http://www.gopresto.com/products/products_search.php?search_value=58&operation=Search&search_type=category Here is a link that might be useful: National Center for Home Food Preservation

I've used a pressure cooker for over 35 years, and am so dependent on it that I always had one in my travel trailer as well as my own kitchen. My daughters both own one; one daughter uses hers as often as I do. Believe it or not, she requested one for a birthday present while she was still in college! The other one reluctantly took the one from her grandma's RV (after they sold their RV), and now really likes using it. Roasts -- chili -- spaghetti sauce -- sirloin tip steaks -- are just a few of the things I make in mine. It's used at least once a week. I currently have a Presto stainless steel whose handle has loosened too much to use, so I am using the Mirror aluminum model that used to be in my travel trailer. Donna

If you read the book that comes with them and always replace parts when needed, they are safe. I have had one for over 30 years, that I got as a wedding gift. I use it for smaller meals for just my husband and myself. I use my extra large one for canning. My large pressure cooker for cooking for guest or family gatherings. I also have another one that is a tweener. I guess it would be a medium. These are all older ones but are in good condition and I still can get parts for them at my hardware store. I guess I feel like if it ain't broke don't fix it. Or, you can't teach an ol' dog new tricks. LOL That is why I never have bought a newer version of the pressure cooker. Mine still do the jiggle thing. LOL