Cook and Reduce Tomatoes

What happens here

Place the stockpots filled with chopped tomatoes on a stove burner set to medium to medium-low heat. The goal is to cook the tomatoes down and evaporate excess water, thickening the sauce. Do not cover the pots, as this traps steam and prevents evaporation. Stir the tomatoes frequently using a flat-bottom wooden spoon, ensuring the tomatoes don't stick to the bottom of the pot. Sugars in the tomatoes can burn easily if left unstirred, leading to a scorched taste. Continue cooking for several hours, or even overnight on very low heat, until the sauce has significantly reduced and thickened.

Goal: Thicken the tomato sauce by evaporating excess water through slow cooking.