ISO: Recipe or Advice about Homemade Ketchup
January 12th, 2013 | 
Author: Hi Folks,
Now that I have gotten my tomato soup and pizza sauce down pat I want to try to perfect my ketchup recipe. One problem I’m having with this is that it gets incredibly thick very quickly; this is not ideal for me. Do you have any suggestions that could help or a tried and true recipe?
Quick Tomato Ketchup
1 can (14 oz.) diced Roma tomatoes
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. EACH salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard
1/4 tsp. coarse ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Stir to combine all ingredients in a small bowl. Process in batches in a small food processor until smooth.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours for flavours to blend. Keep refrigerated. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.
NOTE: spices intensify as it ages.
Thanks for your help.
Posted in * Recipe Requests
maybe up the water amount a little bit?
Marian, I’ve never made ketchup, but I know my Grandma did many years ago. I’m not sure I can locate her recipe or not. If I can, I can’t remember trying it to recommend it though. I will look for it and ask some cousins if they have it if you like if I ever get my email working again. That is SO frustrating. I can receive but not send for about the past month….. Our servers were to call me back…..last Monday…..not so very happy. That being mentioned because that’s how most of the cousins and I stay in touch. I’ll zip the Facebook cousins a note though.
Marian, I haven’t tried making ketchup but I wonder if you simmered it a little bit it might help. Maybe a touch more vinegar?
Thanks to those who replied. I have thought many times about increasing the amount of liquid (either water or vinegar) but I don’t want to keep diluting the flavour as it is quite good. I’ll try heating it a bit and maybe even use my hand blender to get it to a smoother consistency. Maybe if the tomatoes are broken down a bit more and heated through, they won’t thicken over time. I’ve seen some recipes that do that, so I guess that’s my next move.
Marian, please let us know if it helps. Your recipe sounds so good and making it at home would sure eliminate unwanted ingredients. Thanks!
Marian, Here is what my one cousin sent me. I’m not sure if it will help or not, but here it is:
This I sort of my version of the one where you start with tomatoes and can it. One large onion and 2 large green peppers cooked in a minimum amount of water until soft. Add 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar (I usually buzz this in the blender because my family never liked lumps). Add 1/2 t dry mustard and 4T of vinegar. Now grandma’s recipe called for “pinches” of cloves, allspice and cayenne pepper but with Dad having a sensitive stomach these were at times skipped. Add 1 T salt and 1 t black pepper. Hope this helps your friend. Now the canning version is here too but it makes massive quantities. Cindy
Thanks to everyone who replied.
A couple of days ago I tried a slightly different version and tried it today for the first time. I used fresh onion and garlic and a prepared tomato sauce instead of canned tomatoes. I did heat it for about 30 minutes on low and whipped it a bit with my hand blender (I don’t like lumpy ketchup).
It still seems to be of a proper consistency; which is great but I think I put too much vinegar in it or it could have been the onion as well. Next time I’ll reduce that amount by half and see what happens. I get this right; eventually.
Hi Folks,
Just wanted to keep those interested updated on the progress.
I tried a modified version of my original recipe and reduced the vinegar by 2 tsp. It still seemed a little bitter, that I didn’t like much. But it was edible.
Next time I’m going to try this:
Quick Homemade Tomato Ketchup
1-1/4 cups tomato sauce (Christine Cushing Basil flavoured preferred)
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. white sugar
1/2 tsp. EACH salt, garlic powder, onion powder, dry mustard
1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 to 2 Tbsp. water (as needed)
In a small saucepan, add all ingredients; reserving the 2nd Tbsp. water and stir to combine. Buzz with a handheld blender until smooth.
Cover and cook over medium heat until bubbly; reduce heat to minimum, cover and cook; stirring occaisionally (at least twice) for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Spoon into a clean jar.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours for flavours to blend. Keep refrigerated. Makes about 1-1/2 cups.
NOTE: Some of you may find this rather spicy, but that’s the way I like.
If you’d like to try this and offer any suggestions, I’d be happy to hear your results and thoughts. Thanks.
By the way, when I said “Buzz with a handheld blender” that means with a pulsing action, not a constant running technique.
Marian, thanks for all the updates. I’ll be curious how you like the newest recipe.