Summer is in full swing and that means gardens are producing plenty of fresh produce. We’ve been getting a lot of produce in our weekly CSA and my garden is starting to show signs of vegetables growing. Since we live in a town where it’s cold until May, my garden often blooms and produces well after most others do.
I’m still in full on canning mode. I started canning in 2011 because I received a Ball® Home Canning Discovery Kit which includes a canning rack, some jars with lids, and a recipe booklet to get you started. I also received the Blue Book Guide to Preserving which is still my favorite canning book. I’ve received several others over the years but the Blue Book is a simple guide with the easiest (and best!) recipes.
My first canning project of the season was BBQ sauce. It was on my 33 while 33 list and since my birthday is in July, I needed to make this. Tomatoes are just starting to come into season, but it’s easy to leave the tomatoes for several days until they are almost overly ripe and perfect for canning. Alternatively, if you don’t have fresh tomatoes (try to get them!) you can use 3 (28 oz) cans of crushed tomatoes.
This BBQ sauce is both sweet from the brown sugar and spicy from the jalapeno peppers. It does not taste like store bought BBQ sauce so if that’s what you are looking for, this recipe isn’t for you. I happen to think that this recipe is better then store bought. It has fresh tomatoes, celery, onion, and peppers as well as the jalapenos and brown sugar. It doesn’t get much better then that! It was great to use as a dipping sauce for chicken and as a glaze when grilling. I’m trying hard to save a few jars for the winter but I’m not sure I’m going to make it!
A chunky salsa that is both sweet from the brown sugar and spicy from the jalapenos. Source: Slightly adapted from Ball's Complete Book of Home Preserving, 2006.
Jalapeno Spiked Sweet and Spicy BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Kaye
I would like to try this recipe, but will likely opt for the crushed tomatoes. You say that 3- 28 oz. cans (10.5 cups) is equal to 20 cups of fresh tomatoes, correct? I want to be sure because there would be roughly half the amount of canned tomatoes vs. fresh. Unfortunately, I just made 6 – 1-1/2 pints of another barbeque sauce recipe . . . that I absolutely hate. I want to get this one right.
HezziD
When I used the crushed tomatoes I ended up getting 8 half pints instead of the 10 I got when using fresh tomatoes. If you want the 10 half pints I’d use 4 (28 oz) cans of the crushed tomatoes. In all honesty they tasted very similar and it was much less work using the crushed!
Kaye
Okay, here goes! Thanks for your help!
HezziD
Good luck! Let me know how it turns out!
Kaye
I bought 12 – half pint jars, and used 4 – cans of crushed tomatoes. I ended up filling all of those, plus 2 pint and a half jars . . . and 1 pint jar. It was probably equal to about 20 – half pints. That’s great because now I have enough for gifts, etc. As for the recipe, my family generally doesn’t care much for sweet BBQ sauce, so I reduced the sugar some, and added some lemon juice and more salt. Also added extra spices, and a dash of liquid smoke. I looks like a keeper! 🙂
HezziD
Awesome! I’m so glad it worked out for you! I love making and canning items as gifts! I actually gave this BBQ sauce to my brother for Christmas and he loved it. The liquid smoke sounds like a great addition.
Kaye
Sorry, that was bad math. It was closer to 15 half pints not 20.
Darlene
Is that really 20 cups of chopped tomatoes?
HezziD
Yes it is! Canning takes a TON of vegetables!