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Marinara canning question

itsmce (zone 6b, Kansas)

8 years ago

I made a huge (for me) batch of marinara yesterday and canned it all (boiling water bath). I was feeling great about it until today I read on this forum that perhaps it's not a good idea to can anything with oil...and something about adding a bunch of onion to a recipe might make it questionable.

Here are a few rough numbers for what I used. In the end, my 8 QT stockpot was absolutely full to the brim. In that was about 1/4 cup of olive oil, 8 cups diced onions, 4 tablespoons of diced garlic, and peeled/seeded/chopped tomatoes to FILL the pot. Some other seasonings added...salt, sugar, 1/4 cup worchestershire sauce, Italian seasoning. Then about 1 tablespoon citric acid (to increase the acidity) and about that much crushed vitamin C (to maintain the nice red color).

I've canned this stuff for a bunch of years. Am I crazy and playing Russian Roulette every time I open a jar?

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Comments (3)

digdirt2
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
<Am I crazy and playing Russian Roulette every time I open a jar?>

Since you are only BWB processing it I'm sorry to say yes you are. If you had pressure canned it as is required anytime low acid vegetables are used the risk would be reduced but still not considered truly safe. What has probably protected you is if you have boiled the sauce for at least 10 mins. before eating it as that will destroy any bacterial toxins that have developed in it during storage.

The oil is an issue because oils insulate bacteria and prevent the heat from killing them, but it is not the main issue. All the low acid ingredients are the primary concern. You have no way of knowing what the pH of the end product is so no way of knowing how much citric acid to add to bring the pH down to a safe level. While that much citric acid 'might' be enough to cover the low-acidity of the tomatoes it can't begin to cover the onions and the garlic, both of which are high on the list of potential botulism sources when improperly acidified. Plus BWB processing does not kill botulism spores or even all the bacteria, only pressure canning can do that.

Most recipes like this that are tested and approved would require pressure canning and some even require the addition of bottled lemon or lime juice or vinegar. For example if you look at the NCHFP approved instructions for Spaghetti Sauce http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_03/spaghetti_sauce.html without Meat, it allows the 1/4 cup oil but but only 1 cup of onions for 30 lbs. of tomatoes. And even if you leave out the optional celery, green peppers, or mushrooms you still have to pressure can it for 20-25 minutes.

By comparison some of the other recipes that do allow for BWB processing even tho they too contain some onions, garlic, etc. also call for as much as 2 2/3 cup of vinegar to be added.

Dave
itsmce (zone 6b, Kansas)
Original Author
8 years ago
Thanks, Dave. I guess I need to rework my plan in the future!
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digdirt2
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You can always make it as you wish and just freeze it. That is always the best option for personal, untested recipes.

Dave

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