Homemade Krasnodar sauce for winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   Prepare all the ingredients. Classic Krasnodar sauce is made from tomatoes, apples, garlic, vinegar, and seasonings. Since tomatoes and apples form the base of the sauce, choose them carefully. For the tomatoes, go for meaty, sweet, juicy ones. The apples, on the other hand, should be a firm, tart variety. The apples in particular will largely determine the sauce's flavor. Use 9% vinegar.

2. Step 2:

   

   Rinse the tomatoes under water, cut them in half, remove the stem end, and halve the halves again. Put the cut tomatoes in a saucepan, pour in 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and set the pan over low heat. Simmer the tomatoes for about 20 minutes, until they turn soft.

3. Step 3:

   

   While the tomatoes cook, rinse the apples, peel them, cut them in half, remove the core and seeds, and halve the halves again. Transfer the apple pieces to a clean saucepan, pour in 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and set the pan over low heat. Simmer the apples, covered, for 15 minutes. Then tip them into a colander to drain off the excess liquid.

4. Step 4:

   

   Peel the cooked tomatoes, put them in a blender, and blend to a puree. You can also use an immersion blender or a meat grinder. In a pinch, you can use a masher, but that takes far more time and effort.

5. Step 5:

   

   Blend the cooked apples in the blender too. You should end up with applesauce.

6. Step 6:

   

   Set a sieve over the pot in which you'll cook the Krasnodar sauce. Working in batches, push the tomato and apple purees through the sieve. This two-step process — blending, then pushing through a sieve — gives the sauce a smooth, even consistency.

7. Step 7:

   

   Set the pot of tomato-apple puree over medium heat and bring it to a boil. Don't cook the sauce over high heat — it will bubble fiercely and the hot sauce can splash you and cause a burn. As it cooks, foam will form on the surface. There's no need to skim it; it will gradually settle on its own. Simmer the sauce over low heat, covered, for 20–25 minutes, stirring now and then so it doesn't scorch.

8. Step 8:

   

   Add the sugar and salt to the sauce and stir. Put all the spices (ground black pepper, cloves, whole allspice, ground cinnamon, nutmeg) on a piece of cheesecloth and tie it into a bundle. Drop this spice bundle into the sauce. Simmer the sauce with the spices for another 10 minutes.

9. Step 9:

   

   After that time, add the garlic pushed through a press and pour in the vinegar. Simmer the sauce for another 5 minutes. Taste it and add more salt or sugar if needed.

10. Step 10:

    

    Prepare the glass jars you'll store the Krasnodar sauce in. Sterilize the jars and lids ahead of time however you like: in the oven, over steam, in water, or even in the microwave.

11. Step 11:

    

    Remove the spice bundle from the pot and push the sauce through a sieve once more. Bring the strained sauce back to a boil and pour it into the sterilized jars, then seal them with sterile lids. Turn the jars upside down, cover them with a blanket, and let the sauce cool completely. The next day, move the Krasnodar sauce to storage. It's best kept in a cellar or basement, where it's always cool and dark.