Smoky Creole Sauce

Marie Overton
May 16, 2022
2 min read

Updated: Sep 29

This smoky creole sauce came about because of an experiment. I had a lovely Cajun Shrimp Cocktail Sauce recipe that I loved. I decided at the last minute to add a bit of liquid smoke. What seemed like an inspired addition ended up changing the flavor of the sauce so much that it became an entirely separate recipe. Both recipes are amazing in their own right. Who can complain about another great way to use tomatoes? This Smoky Creole Sauce goes well on many different kinds of meat or fish.

Smoky Creole Sauce

This recipe makes 4 pints of Smoky Creole Sauce.

Ingredients to make Smoky Creole Sauce:

9 3/4 pounds quartered tomatoes
2 chopped onions
1/2c chopped celery
1c chopped red pepper
1/2tsp chipotle pepper powder
1/4tsp chili powder
1tbsp sugar
2tbsp minced garlic
1tbsp parsley
2tsp salt
1tsp liquid smoke
1/2tsp marjoram

Cook the Smoky Creole Sauce:

Hands slicing red tomatoes on a wooden cutting board on a speckled countertop background. Tomatoes are halved and quartered.

Quarter 9 3/4 pounds of tomatoes.

Soften the tomatoes by simmering for about 20 minutes.

Person in apron uses a food grinder on tomatoes, with purée and skins in separate containers on a granite countertop. Stainless pot nearby.

Process the soft tomatoes through a food mill. Then place the pulp in a strainer (I like my husband’s honey strainer.) or cheesecloth to drain out the juice. Save the juice to be canned later. This step of straining the sauce allows you to skip the reducing down process which usually takes about 3 hours to do. If for some reason the sauce seems too thick you can add some of the juice back in.

Hands hold a pot with chopped onions, herbs, and spices on a granite countertop. Colorful bowls surround the pot. Cozy cooking scene.

Place the strained pulp in a large saucepot and add the rest of the ingredients. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the vegetables are soft. Continue to simmer until it is your desired thickness.

Fill and Process Pint Jars:

Using a jar funnel, fill the pint jars leaving 1-inch headspace. Use a chopstick to remove any trapped air bubbles.

Woman in apron canning tomato sauce into jars on granite counter beside a pressure cooker. Apron reads "Marie." Kitchen setting.

Wipe off the rim with a clean damp cloth. Place the lid on top of the jar and add the ring. Tighten the ring to fingertip tight.

(For quality, American made Superb canning lids and jars follow this link and use the coupon code WP20 to get 20% off your purchase.)

Process in a pressure canner for 25 minutes at 10 pounds of pressure if at sea level. Remember to adjust your pressure if you are above 1000 feet in elevation. Also, remember that you need at least 2 quarts or 4 pints for a safe pressure canning load.

Chalkboard with pressure canner altitude chart beside jarred goods on a countertop. Black background, white text, rustic setting.

Once your sauce has completed processing and the pressure is gone, remove the lid and allow the jars to cool for 10 minutes. Then, space the jars about an inch apart on a heat resistant surface for 24 hours to cool and completely seal.

If your jar did not seal, then place it in the fridge and use it immediately. Store the sealed jars in your pantry to enjoy for the next 1-3 years. After three years the nutritional value of canned food diminishes.

Grilled shrimp circle a mound of red salsa on a white textured plate, set on a wooden table. The mood is appetizing and inviting.

If you have any questions about canning with a pressure canner or how to adjust the pressure or processing time for altitude, take a look at my canning basics videos.