Ketchup From Scratch

There is nothing that tastes quite as good as something you make from scratch in your own kitchen. This is true rather it is special meal, a dessert or something as simple as homemade ketchup.

This recipe, which can be canned for use throughout the winter months, is simply outstanding. Once you have a taste of this, you will never go back to store bought ketchup again!

To make a really thick ketchup you need to remove the tomato juice from the tomato paste. The easiest way to do this is to use a steamer juicer such as the Mehu-Liisa.

When the steamer is finished extracting the juice, bottle it and can it. This is tomato juice in its purest form.

The tomatoes that are left in the top of the steamer juicer are what you want to use. You can remove the seeds or simply blend the mixture until it is smooth, whichever you prefer.

Begin with 24 pounds of whole tomatoes. If you do not have that many, simply put the tomatoes you have on a scale to find out how many pounds you do have, then do the math to change the rest of the ingredients in the recipe.

While the tomatoes are juicing add three cups cider vinegar to a large saucepan. Cut a piece of cheesecloth and put 3 tablespoon celery seed, 4 teaspoons whole cloves and 2 cinnamon sticks into it and then tie it up. Put the spice bag into the pan with the vinegar. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and cover. Allow this to sit for 25 minutes then remove the spice bag.

Place tomatoes into the spiced vinegar, add one teaspoon of cayenne pepper and boil. Reduce the heat once the mixture begins to boil and cook for thirty minutes. The mixture should begin to thicken. Add ¼ cup canning salt and 1 ½ cups sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook for about 45 minutes. The mixture will reduce by half and be about the consistency of store bought ketchup. While it is cooking, add garlic powder, chili powder and black pepper to taste.

To preserve, ladle into hot, sterilized pint jars leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe jar rim, place sterilized lids and bands on making sure they are snug. Process in a cold pack canner for fifteen minutes, remove canner lid, let the jars sit for five minutes, then remove them.

When the jars are completely cooled, check to make sure they are sealed. If not, use immediately or put on a new lid and reseal.

When you open a jar, be sure to keep it refrigerated. The open jars will last quite a while kept in this fashion.