Classic Sauce Tomat (French Tomato Sauce)

1. Stage

Preheat the oven to 325°F.

2. Stage

Cook the salt-cured pork: In a Dutch oven or other heavy bottomed pot with a lid over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the salt-cured pork and cook, stirring, until the fat melts and the pork lightly browns, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Stage

Cook the mirepoix: Add the carrots, onions, and celery to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften and turn golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and bay leaf.

4. Stage

Add the tomatoes and stock and transfer to the oven: Stir the tomatoes and stock into the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover the pot and transfer it to the preheated oven.  Simmer in the oven for 1 hour. Remove and set the lid slightly askew, leaving a 1/4 inch gap between the lid and the pot on one side. Return to the oven for another hour. (Total time in the oven is 2 hours.) Remove from the oven, remove the lid, and cool for 15 minutes, or until the sauce is no longer boiling hot.

5. Stage

Discard thyme and bay leaf: Discard the thyme and bay leaf from the sauce.

6. Stage

Puree the sauce: You’ll have to puree the sauce in batches.  Fill the blender to 1/3 of its capacity, open the top vent, and hold a clean folded dish towel over the opening. Start the blender on low speed and gradually increase the speed as you blend it. Blend until smooth. Repeat until all the sauce is pureed.

7. Stage

Store or use the sauce:  Transfer pureed sauce to airtight containers and store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or place in the freezer for up to 6 months. Use in any recipe that requires a tomato base. Did you love this recipe? Give us some stars below!