Chili Sauce

Ingredients

• 2.5 pounds Ripe tomatoes (Approximately 6-8 medium tomatoes. Original recipe calls for 12 medium-sized tomatoes.)
• 1 medium Bell pepper (Finely chopped. Use green or red bell pepper. For added heat, a jalapeño or serrano pepper can be substituted or added.)
• 1 medium Onion (Finely chopped.)
• 2 cups Apple cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons Granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon Salt
• 2 teaspoons Ground cloves
• 2 teaspoons Ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons Ground allspice
• 2 teaspoons Ground nutmeg (Original recipe calls for 'grated nutmeg', ground nutmeg is used for convenience.)

Instructions

1. 1To easily peel the tomatoes, score a small 'X' on the bottom of each tomato. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Carefully drop the scored tomatoes into the boiling water for 30-60 seconds, or until the skins begin to curl and loosen. Immediately transfer the blanched tomatoes to a large bowl filled with ice water to stop the cooking process and cool them down. Once cool enough to handle, peel the skins from the tomatoes. Discard the skins and then slice the peeled tomatoes.
2. 2Finely chop the bell pepper and onion.
3. 3In a large preserving kettle or heavy-bottomed pot, combine the sliced tomatoes, finely chopped bell pepper, finely chopped onion, apple cider vinegar, granulated sugar, salt, ground cloves, ground cinnamon, ground allspice, and ground nutmeg. Stir all ingredients thoroughly to combine.
4. 4Place the kettle over medium heat. Heat the mixture gradually, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until it reaches a gentle boiling point.
5. 5Once the sauce is boiling, reduce the heat to low. Allow the sauce to simmer slowly, uncovered, for two and one-half hours (2 hours and 30 minutes). Stir occasionally throughout the simmering process to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pot and to ensure even cooking. The sauce will thicken considerably as it cooks.
6. 6Remove the kettle from the heat. Allow the chili sauce to cool completely to room temperature before transferring it to clean, sterilized jars. Store the chili sauce in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 weeks, or process it using standard water bath canning methods for long-term shelf-stable storage.