18 pounds tomatoes (7-3/4 pounds, or about 3 quarts, when grilled and drained)
18 ounces onion (14 ounces, or about 2 cups, when grilled and chopped)
6 cloves garlic, grilled or roasted (about 3 tablespoons when grilled and minced)
2 tablespoons honey
zest of 4 large lemons (about 3 tablespoons)
1-1/2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh oregano
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
1 teaspoon fresh Italian parsley
14 tablespoons lemon juice

Grill the tomatoes, onions, and garlic as you would for Grilled Tomato Chipotle Salsa. Drain the tomatoes and measure out 3 quarts of solids. Set aside the juice, as well as any extra solids, for another use (see below).

Add the measured tomato solids to a wide, heavy-bottom stockpot and puree them with an immersion blender. In a food processor or using a sharp knife, coarsely chop the onion and garlic. Add them to the tomatoes, along with the honey, lemon zest, salt, pepper, and ground spices. Puree with the immersion blender to the desired smoothness. Mince the fresh herbs and set them aside.

Bring the sauce to a boil, and then cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, until it begins to bubble. If too thin, continue cooking the sauce until it thickens to your liking, stirring often to keep it from burning. Stir in the fresh herbs and remove the sauce from the heat.

Add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to a hot pint jar, and then ladle in the hot sauce, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Fill all remaining jars in the same way. Process in a boiling water bath for 35 minutes, plus your altitude adjustment. Alternatively, cool and then freeze in 3-cup containers. Makes about 7 pint jars.

Tips & Tricks

• Years of making this recipe have taught me that grilling gives it the best flavor. My largest stockpot holds a double batch, so I typically double this recipe and process it in two batches. Just make sure the second batch is hot before you put it in the jars.
• The NCHFP advises against draining tomatoes when canning because it hasn’t tested its recipes for that variation and can’t say whether draining changes tomato acidity; instead, it recommends boiling down the sauce for hours. In contrast, grilling and draining minimizes stovetop time and gives the option for two products from one grilling session (see below). To compensate for this variation, I adjusted the acid in this recipe to surpass that given in NCHFP and U.S. Department of Agriculture recipes and add the acid to each jar to ensure consistent safety. For good measure, I test my recipes with a ThermoWorks high-accuracy pH meter.
• The lemon juice (acid) is not optional when canning; it ensures the sauce remains food safe on the shelf. If using bottled lemon juice, check the label to make sure it has only been diluted to 5% acidity. But you can also use the juice from your zested lemons; it has been found that their natural acidity is the necessary 5%.
• Although you need some type of acid, it doesn’t have to be lemon juice. I prefer its flavor in this sauce, but you can substitute twice the amount of a vinegar with at least 5% acidity, such as red wine vinegar, for the same effect.
• The lemon juice can be added to the top or bottom of the jar; it will mix into the sauce as it heats in the canning kettle. I find it easier to measure the headspace if I add it first—and to tell whether I remembered to add it to the jar. If you finish filling a jar and can’t recall whether you added the lemon juice, just put it on top; it won’t hurt the sauce to have extra lemon juice, but jars without it should be stored in the refrigerator and eaten quickly.
• This sauce may seem simple, but that’s what makes it safe for water-bath processing. So don’t be tempted to throw in additional ingredients before canning; add any other vegetables, meats, and flavors when you open the jar. Or keep it simple and use the jar as canned; it’s perfect for lasagna, as well as sourdough pizza and calzones.

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons sugar
sea salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 cloves Roasted Garlic
pinch of dried oregano
1 teaspoon curry powder
18 ounces grilled tomato juice reserved from Grilled Tomato Pasta Sauce
6 ounces grilled tomato solids reserved from Grilled Tomato Pasta Sauce

In a large, heavy-bottom saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion and sauté for about 10 minutes, until soft and translucent. Stir in the flour, letting it cook for about 30 seconds like a roux, and then stir in the sugar and other seasonings. Slowly stir in tomato juice and solids. Increase the heat to bring the soup to a boil, and then taste, adjusting the seasonings as needed, and serve. Makes about 3 cups, or 2–3 servings.

Tips & Tricks

• I find it handy to keep combine the grilled tomato juice and solids together in a freezer-proof container. You can also freeze just the tomato juice leftover from any grilled tomato recipe and add chopped fresh tomatoes; just puree the soup with an immersion blender before serving. This works particularly well if you ripened late-season green tomatoes in a box and they didn’t take on their full flavor.
• If you prefer a creamy tomato soup—or want to stretch it to serve 4 people, you can add 1-1/2 cups of cold milk to the finished soup. Slowly pour the hot soup into the cold milk, stirring constantly, to keep the milk from curdling, and then pour the creamed soup back into the saucepan and heat it to almost a boil just before serving.
• Other ways to stretch this meal including serving it with a sandwich, such as Gorgeous Grilled Cheese, or a salad, like one with roasted beets. It’s also delicious with a Honey–Chili Buttermilk Biscuit or as a starter before Spinach and Herb Frittata or Marinated and Grilled Portobello Mushrooms.