This recipe suggests usingthe water bath canning method. If you are not familiar with the water bath canning method watch our water bath canning video workshop. Always make sure you are following all safety guidelines outlined by the USDA when canning anything.
Homemade condiments transform even the simplest of meals into something incredible, making us look (and taste!) again, at the things we take for granted. Red and yellow squeeze bottles have got nothin' on these exquisite flavors. It seems strange to use the word exquisite to describe ketchup...until you taste homemade ketchup. Suddenly, you'll find yourself dreaming, about what else you might slather ketchup on.
It's concentrated tomato essence, cooked down to 25% of it's original volume.
This recipe is inspired by some of the oldest recipes out there. It lacks the modern additives and preservatives that have commodified what many of us know as ketchup.
Fair warning--you may never look at ketchup in quite the same way again.
Directions
Makes: 7 half pints.
Time: Approximately 3 hours
1. Pre-Cook the Tomatoes and Onions
In a heavy bottomed stock pot combine tomatoes and onions over med-high heat.Bring to a boil, stirring frequently, and reduce by half.
2. Remove Skin and Seeds
Run mixture through a food mill or fine sieve to remove skins and seeds.
3. Add Final Ingredients and Reduce by Half
Return sieved mixture to the stove. Add vinegar, sugar, 2 Tablespoons sea salt andspices. Boil gently, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. Reduce by half or untilketchup mounds up on a spoon. It will thicken slightly when it cools. When cool enough to taste, see how you like it and adjust salt if desired.
5. Pack and Store Your HomemadeKetchup
There are two options here...
- Ladle your ketchup directly into sterilizedjars and store in fridge or freezer.Ketchup will keep 3 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer.
- Ketchup can also be water bath canned using the hot pack method. Leave 1/4” headspace and process the 1/2 pint jars for 15 minutes. If you're unfamiliar with water bath canning, watch our water bath canning video workshop before attempting this method.
Over to You...
Thanks for checking out this old fashioned ketchup recipe, hope you enjoy every last bite!
It’s part of our mission here at Mountain Feedto help you make delicious, sustainable, homemade food, more often. We are proud to offer you the best home canning equipment at the best prices. What are you waiting for? Head over to ourHome Canning Departmentandget everything you need.
FAQs
The preservative sodium benzoate is added to the sauce so that it can be stored for a longer period of time. Store the sauce in a sterilized canning jar. The sauce can be kept for about 6 months but it's so delicious that it will finish before then!
How to preserve tomato ketchup for a long time? ›
Ladle your ketchup directly into sterilized jars and store in fridge or freezer. Ketchup will keep 3 weeks in the fridge or 6 months in the freezer. Ketchup can also be water bath canned using the hot pack method. Leave 1/4” headspace and process the 1/2 pint jars for 15 minutes.
How do you increase the shelf life of ketchup? ›
How do you increase the shelf life of ketchup? By adding preservative Sodium Benzoate (INS211) 600 PPM. By use of retort technology after filling in pouch / bottle so no need to add preservatives.
What is the preservative 211 in tomato ketchup? ›
Preservatives - INS 211 is Sodium Benzoate the most popular additive in various items like of sauces, dressings, jams and drinks for its preservation action. Stabilizers - INS 1422 is Acetylated distarch adipate and INS 415 is Xanthan Gum.
Is vinegar a preservative in ketchup? ›
Let's look at the ingredients of ketchup. Most of them contain vinegar, which will inhibit the growth of bacteria, which will cause the ketchup to go bad. Even those not vinegar based contain tomatoes, which are a fairly acid fruit. That acid will also inhibit bacteria growth.
What is the number one ingredient in ketchup? ›
Ketchup is a tomato-based condiment that's primarily used for dipping or spreading, though it's also commonly featured as an ingredient in other sauces and dressings. It's usually made with tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and spices and seasonings.
How do you store ketchup long term? ›
Unless you're a busy diner going through and refilling ketchup bottles every day or two, you should store your ketchup in the fridge. This is because, just like pickles, the flavor and texture declines after you open the bottle or jar and the ketchup is exposed to air.
Why should ketchup not be refrigerated? ›
In addition, Sargent adds, to the preservative natures of the vinegar, salt, and sweeteners, “the acidity of the tomatoes prevent it from requiring refrigeration, but the flavor and texture will be better maintained if kept under refrigerated conditions.”
Does vinegar preserve tomato sauce? ›
Add 1 tablespoon bottled lemon juice or 2 tablespoons vinegar, or 1/4 teaspoon citric acid to each pint jar. Fill jars, leaving 1/4 inch of headspace. Adjust lids and process pints for 35 minutes and quarts for 40 minutes in a boiling water bath or atmospheric steam canner.
How do you get the last bit of ketchup? ›
"While Casey's method is by far the most inventive, other methods we've seen over the last 150+ years include tapping the iconic 57 on the body of our infamous glass bottles, shaking the bottle and tipping it upside down, using a spoon or knife to get the last bit out, and more," the representative added.
One French cookbook author described the ketchup sold in markets as “filthy, decomposed and putrid.” By the late 19th century, it would become less putrid, as manufacturers added chemical preservatives to slow decomposition in the bottle.
Which is most important in preventing spoilage in ketchup? ›
The most important precaution in checking the spoilage after opening seems to be to keep the ketchup cool. This is shown by the average number of days which elapsed before spoilage occurred in the sets kept under different temperature conditions.
Why avoid Heinz tomato ketchup? ›
It contains high quantities of sugar, salt, fructose, preservatives and corn syrup. All of these ingredients when combined together have an adverse effect on the body.
What is the negative effect of sodium benzoate preservation? ›
Studies suggest that sodium benzoate may increase your risk of inflammation, oxidative stress, obesity, ADHD, and allergies. It may also convert to benzene, a potential carcinogen, but the low levels found in beverages are deemed safe.
What preserves ketchup? ›
The ingredients in ketchup (vinegar, salt, sugar) are natural preservatives.
What is an unhealthy ingredient in ketchup? ›
Two ingredients of concern in ketchup are salt and sugar. Per tablespoon, ketchup contains 4 grams of sugar and 190 milligrams of sodium. Although 4 grams of sugar doesn't seem like a lot, much of it comes from added sugar, as opposed to the natural sugar found in tomatoes.
How was ketchup made more shelf stable? ›
One French cookbook author described the ketchup sold in markets as “filthy, decomposed and putrid.” By the late 19th century, it would become less putrid, as manufacturers added chemical preservatives to slow decomposition in the bottle.
What is the preservative in Heinz ketchup? ›
His original recipe, based on his mother's, used salicylic acid derived from tree bark (some say slippery elm, others willow). Later he shifted to the newly popular preservative sodium benzoate, industrially made, cheap, tasteless, and effective.
What is the function of sodium benzoate in ketchup? ›
Sodium benzoate is used as a preservative to prevent food from molding. It's added to a wide variety of foods, including mayonnaise, margarine, carbonated drinks, jams and jellies, sauces, and tomato paste.
