Ketchup

[worth1]

I just picked up 4 15 ounce cans of HEB select ingredients tomato puree 98 cents a can.
There are no added sugars and 1/4 cup of puree is 3 grams of natural sugar from the tomatoes.
There are 4 grams of sugar in 1/4 cup.

So.
I used two 15 ounce cans of the tomato puree.
1/3 cup of malt vinegar.
1/3 cup sweet sherry.
1 teaspoon smoked hot Spanish paprika.
1 teaspoon freshly fine ground black pepper.
1 teaspoon garlic powder.
1 teaspoon onion powder.
1 teaspoon ground clove freshly ground.
1 teaspoon ground allspice freshly ground.
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar.
Sounds batty on the spices but I wanted to keep it simple and I like spices.
The reason for the malt vinegar is it's all I've got that isn't industrial white vinegar.
Taste test says excellent in flavor.
Approximately 30 ounces of FINE AAA GRADE gourmet ketchup for under 3 dollars.

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[worth1]

I ran the stick blender in the ketchup after adding a good pinch of xanthan gum and some ascorbic acid AKA fruit fresh to smooth it out more.
Repurposed olive jar for container that I just finished off the olives in it on Friday.
Tastes exactly like mom used to make.

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[zeuspaul]

My second batch

7 oz Bionaturae Organic Tomato Paste (from Italy in a glass jar)
1/3 cup organic apple sauce
5 tablespoons organic fresh <strike>yam</strike> (edit: sweet potato)
2 tablespoons organic apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 cup water


Yam cooked in a microwave and then scraped out of the skin.

Blended with a stick blender.

Simmered for a couple of hours.
Added additional water because it was too thick.

I like this better than my first batch. Even my better half approved. The spices are kick back. The tomato flavor is dominant. Not too much sweetness like the Heinz organic ketchup I have been using.

This time I used 1/2 pint regular mouth glass canning jars with stainless steel lids. Froze two and just finished the first non frozen jar. Taste is subjective and can grow on you. I don't want a spicy ketchup. I am trying to be conservative with the spices. Different uses for ketchup will affect the spice blend. I will add zest later with spices sitting on the table in shakers. I am using the smaller jars because I don't know how well this stuff keeps. I used less vinegar because I prefer flavor over shelf life.

It will take me a little time to guess what spices to change. One likely change is to substitute real onion for onion powder. It is not too difficult to fry up some onion in olive oil. I can freeze the extra for future batches if I like the results.

[zeuspaul]

Vitacost

The order contained 21 glass jars and apple sauce in plastic jars plus a few other things. Shipped with Fedex. Not my choice. I think they also use USPS.

One broken jar. I reported it but haven't heard back. I replied to a shipping email which may have not been the right place to respond. A form response indicated it might take awhile to get to it. I am not going to pursue it. I can take the loss. One jar out of 21 isn't too bad.

The glass was all individually packed except for a six pack and one of those jars broke due to glass on glass contact and a jolt.

I am going to place another order. They gave me a coupon which expires by Dec 24 for 20%. As a first time buyer I got 25%. It seems 10% and 15% show up frequently. This time I am going to buy fewer than 6 of the same product. I don't know which products that come packed as a six pack. Bob's Red Mill Wheat Germ also had a coupon.


Jovial Organic Diced Tomatoes look good. Maybe for a "ketchup" with a chunky texture. Or to add to one of the prepared marinara products.

Jovial Organic Crushed Tomatoes look better for ketchup.

Bionaturae Organic Strained Tomatoes look real good. I hope it tastes as good as it looks.

I think the strained tomatoes would mix well with the Bionaturae Organic Tomato Paste instead of using water to dilute the paste.

Now I have too many things to try. The paste and strained tomatoes or either the diced or crushed some other combination as the stand alone tomato contribution.

I am using a lot more ketchup since starting with the second batch. That is probably a good indication of how good it is. Strong tomato flavor and not sweet. Certainly not sour. Not much flavor added by spices. I am almost at the end of the last of three 1/2 pint jars so it is time for a third batch. I have some fresh onion, yam and now apples sauce from a jar. I will likely bump up the spices.

[worth1]

They had Primal Kitchen ketchup at HEB.
I almost pulled the trigger to compare it with my own but didn't.
43 cents an ounce it was and 4 something for a wee bottle.
Maybe I'll pick up some next week.
My homemade has been in the refrigerator up until today.
I'm going to try it out on some fried fish and taters.
Its mellowed out quite a bit.

[zeuspaul]

My batch #3

7 oz Bionaturae Organic Tomato Paste (organic from Italy in a glass jar)
14 oz Bionaturae Strained tomato (organic from Italy glass jar)
3 oz onion fried in olive oil
2/3 cup fresh cooked sweet potato (my previous batch was also sweet potato not yam)
4 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
7 oz unsweetened applesauce
2 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ginger

I started with no honey. I tasted and the vinegar was a bit overwhelming. I added one tablespoon honey and then a second. Next time I will start with less vinegar. Mix with a stick blender. After simmering for an hour or two I added a small amount of purified water to get the consistency I want. It is a bit thicker than the ketchup I have been using.

First impression was a tad spicy. Impressions after that not so spicy, actually as good as the second batch but slightly different. I don't know if the spices mellow out or one gets used to a different flavor.

I am sold on tomato products from glass jars. The prepared sauces sold in glass jars are likely made from tomato products sold in cans?

This stuff is going faster than the sweet ketchup I have been using. I keep and serve it in 1/2 pint glass mason jars and can't resist tasting a spoonful straight from the jar. I may have to up the jars to 1 pint jars because it goes so fast.

I am guessing my next batch will be based on Jovial Organic Crushed Tomatoes. I don't think I will need any paste. Looking at it through the jar it seems to be of the right consistency with a little more texture which wouldn't be good for a squeeze bottle but I prefer a jar and a spoon.

[zeuspaul]

Vitacost

The order contained 21 glass jars and apple sauce in plastic jars plus a few other things. Shipped with Fedex. Not my choice. I think they also use USPS.

One broken jar. I reported it but haven't heard back. I replied to a shipping email which may have not been the right place to respond. A form response indicated it might take awhile to get to it. I am not going to pursue it. I can take the loss. One jar out of 21 isn't too bad.

I never received any correspondence except for the first automated response. Vitacost just came through with a $2.85 refund posted to my PayPal account.

After the first order (25% coupon off first order) I received a coupon for 20% off my next order expire date Dec 25. I took the bait and placed a second order. Reordered paste, strained and crushed tomatoes all organic and in glass jars and organic applesauce. Also added Eden organic prepared tomato sauce. In addition I ordered three different brands of organic whole wheat spaghetti to try and a couple of other organic whole wheat pasta types. Ordered the 24th and received the 28th all in good condition.

Vitacost is the best place I have found to date for tomato products in glass jars. I will continue to use Vitacost unless I find something better. And they do have a wide range of other products many of them organic.

[zeuspaul]

Batch #4

18.3 oz Jovial Organic Crushed Tomatoes (organic from Italy glass jar)
7 oz Bionaturae Organic Tomato Paste (organic from Italy in a glass jar)
6 oz sweet potato
4 oz fried onion
8 oz apple sauce
2 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup+/- water used to rinse jars

First with just the crushed tomatoes. Added the paste because I didn't think it was red enough.

Blended with a stick blender
Simmered for a couple of hours

Seems a bit spicy. (paprika? black pepper? mustard?) Noticed a few skins from the crushed tomatoes. Good/acceptable but not as delicious as the previous two batches. I will likely revert back to paste and strained tomato. I prefer no skins in ketchup.

[worth1]

Since this thread is about ketchup and not just tomato ketchup.
I just made one of the best ketchup versions I've ever had in my life
Mushroom ketchup.
My next adventure will be fermented Mushroom ketchup.
Neither one of these have any sugar in them and the one I just made tasted a lot like A1 Sauce but possibly better.
Ingredients were.
Mushrooms.
Allspice.
Clove.
Salt.
Apple cider vinegar.
Horse radish.
Lemon zest and the juice of one lemon.
Hot smoked Spanish paprika.
Very umami.

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[Sue_CT]

So is ketchup just another name for sauce? Because I no longer know what constitutes ketchup. But I like mushrooms so I bet it is good.

[worth1]

So is ketchup just another name for sauce? Because I no longer know what constitutes ketchup. But I like mushrooms so I bet it is good.

Ketchup supposedly got it roots and name from Asia
My next batch I'm going to ferment the mushrooms.
Probably 2 pounds worth.
Lord knows I'll use it.
This batch was already fermenting at 24 hours.
Lots of gas bubbles in it.

[worth1]

A brief history of ketchup.

[zeuspaul]

Batch #5

24 oz Bionaturae Organic Strained Tomatoes (from Italy in a glass jar)
7 oz Bionaturae Organic Tomato Paste (from Italy in a glass jar)
5 oz fresh frozen pureed sweet potato
3 oz fresh frozen minced fried onion
8 oz unsweetened apple sauce
2 tablespoon organic apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/2 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup+/- water used to rinse jars

Didn't need the stick blender because the sweet potato and fried onion had been pureed/minced prior to freezing them in jars so all I had to do was assemble the ingredients. Simmered for a couple of hours.

This is my best one so far. It is so good I use about three times as much as I have used with regular tomato ketchup in the past. I am also finding more things to use it on. I may consider freezing in pint (16 oz) mason jars instead of the 1/2 pint (8 oz) jars I am using now.

The spices seem under control. It is mild leaving me the option of adding some zest from a shaker (red and/or black pepper) at time of use. For my next batch possibly inch up the mustard and/or the black pepper. Also likely more fried onion.

[Danny]

zeuspaul, I am enjoying reading along about your ketchup endeavors, it's interesting to see how slight changes shift the tastes so much.

[zeuspaul]

This most recent recipe for mild low sugar tomato ketchup is designed for an eight quart slow cooker crockpot. Also designed for reduced labor so I spend less time in her kitchen. No fresh fried onions nor fresh sweet potatoes/yams.

96 oz --- four jars 24 oz Bionaturae Organic Strained Tomatoes (from Italy in a glass jar)
28 oz --- four jars 7 oz Bionaturae Organic Tomato Paste (from Italy in a glass jar)
30 oz --- two cans 15 oz butternut squash (or yams or sweet potato)
46 oz --- two 23 oz jars organic unsweetened applesauce
6 tbsp--- organic apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp--- onion powder
1 tbsp--- paprika
1 tsp --- cinnamon
1 tsp --- dry mustard
1 tsp--- black pepper
1/2 tsp-- ginger
1/2 tsp-- allspice
3 tbsp--- honey
3 cups +/- water sufficient to rinse jars.

Heat in crockpot for a few hours and then place in wide mouth pint freezer/canning jars. Yields fifteen and a half pint jars (248 oz).

A mild tomato flavored ketchup unlike *regular* ketchup. It's easy to use a lot. I use on meatloaf, hot dogs, omelets and other. Spice it up with pepper shakers at time of use. Serve directly from the jar with a spoon.

Cost estimate (Vitacost)

$18.16 four jars strained tomatoes
$12.76 four jars tomato paste
$6.82 two cans butternut squash
$5.98 two jars applesauce
$3 spices and honey
---------------------------------

$46.72 for 248 oz = $3.01 per pint jar. A pint jar is about equal to a small bottle of ketchup or about $6 per large bottle of ketchup.

I am on the Vitacost mailing list and got 20 % off the entire order. 10 % is common a little less common and patients gets you 20 % off. Free shipping with $49 order.

[zeuspaul]

Stocking up- Vitacost 20% off entire order (free shipping $49+).

Code CYBERSAVE expires 11/23/23 at 9 p.m. ET

Can't decide which is healthier sweet potatoes or butternut squash so it will be one of each.

[JRinPA]

I didn't eat store bought ketchup for 6 years.
From the 7th grade until I left home.
We grew heirloom paste tomatoes and my mom made homemade ketchup she put in pint jars.
Needless to say it didn't taste like anything you could buy.
It wasn't as sweet and had cloves in it and lord knows what else.
Probably allspice.

The original Heinz "Octagon" ketchup recipe was less sweet than the current product and included cloves in its ingredients. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette worked out a normal-size recipe from the original Heinz recipe, where ingredients were measured in gallons and pounds. These are the ingredients and amounts they came up with:
Keystone Ketchup (Octagon Style)
Based on 1895 hand-written company records in the Heinz History Center library
1/2 gallon (8 cups) of fresh tomatoes, or two 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon (slightly heaped) of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice
1/3 (or heaping 1/4) teaspoon of ground cinnamon
3/8 (or scant 1/2) teaspoon of ground mace (or nutmeg)
1/8 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper
A very small portion of very small clove of garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of finely chopped onion

The article, with interesting ketchup history and the recipe instructions, is here: https://www.post-gazette.com/life/food/ ... 1710160007
If you get hit with a subscription-only message, try using your browser's "reader view" option, which worked for me.

Can someone copy the actual article or the instructions. I get that pop over and can't figure out how to get around it.

[JRinPA]

I filled fryer with Tallow instead of oil and now I am hooked on fries. Ran me out of ketchup quick. I don't usually use very much ketchup

[worth1]

I filled fryer with Tallow instead of oil and now I am hooked on fries. Ran me out of ketchup quick. I don't usually use very much ketchup

No doubt.

[Seven Bends]

@JRinPA If you use Firefox as your browser, you can click the "reader view" icon up in the address bar to toggle to reader view (text only), which gets you past the subscription pop-up on that article. Other browsers have a similar feature, but I don't know the method for them. Here's the recipe portion of the article, and the intro text about the recipe:

*************************
From the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The original recipe for "Keystone Ketchup (Octagon Style)" calls for 100 gallons of tomato pulp and similarly bulk proportions for other ingredients, including half a pound of cloves, four gallons of vinegar and 38 pounds of sugar.

Scaling those proportions down to the home kitchen involves more than just dividing by 100 because the relative volume and weights differ from one spice to another, for example, one cup of ground cloves weighs 3.67 ounces while the same cup of ground mace weighs only 2.88 ounces. Simply put: the weight proportions of the bulk recipe do not correspond to the volume proportions commonly used in the home kitchen.

The amounts of garlic and onion are practically negligible when scaled down, and, arguably, could be left out altogether, but because they ARE ingredients in the original recipe, I've included the absurdly small amounts in the home kitchen recipe.

The original recipe calls for "thin tomato pulp.” You can go through the effort of running fresh tomatoes through a squeezo to remove the skins and seeds, or you can cheat like I do: Cook the tomatoes, skins and all, then let them cool a bit, then run it through a food processor in batches. That pulverizes the skins and most of the seeds. Or you can used canned crushed tomatoes, which have already been run through a mechanical sieve not unlike the ones employed by Heinz.

For measuring fresh tomatoes, I mash them down into a glass measuring cup.

Don't fiddle with the spices based on tasting from the boiling pot (something I am often tempted to do),- this doesn't taste like anything close to right until the very end, when you add the salt. I have maintained the procedures of the original recipe in which ingredients are added in stages through the boiling.

It's also important to stir the pot so the ketchup doesn't scorch. In "Pure Ketchup: A History of America's National Condiment," Andrew Smith quotes a Heinz employee who in 1901 bemoaned the "miseries" of making ketchup at home: "He little knows how fortunate he is to have been born a generation or so late, and to have escaped... the parboiling of his face and hands as he stirred, stirred and constantly stirred the catsup to keep it from burning."

I use an enameled Le Creuset pot, and it still needs to be stirred.

But it's worth it.

Former Post-Gazette columnist Dennis Roddy, after sampling the finished product, simply said: "This has ruined me for regular ketchup."

Keystone Ketchup (Octagon Style)
Based on 1895 hand-written company records in the Heinz History Center library

1/2 gallon (8 cups) of fresh tomatoes, or two 28-oz cans crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon (slightly heaped) of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon of ground allspice
1/3 (or heaping 1/4) teaspoon of ground cinnamon
3/8 (or scant 1/2) teaspoon of ground mace (or nutmeg)
1/8 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper
A very small portion of very small clove of garlic, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of finely chopped onion

Boil fast for about 45 minutes, stirring regularly so it doesn't scorch; when it gets close to the desired consistency, add:

1/3 cup vinegar (distilled or malt vinegar preferred)

Continue cooking another 10 or 15 minutes until it achieves desired consistency, then add:

3/8 (or scant 1/2) cup sugar, 1½ Tablespoons of salt and stir well.

Cook another couple of minutes, then remove from fire.

If using canned crushed tomatoes, add 1 cup of water at the beginning.

For a large batch use #10 can of crushed tomatoes, 2 cups of water, and double the recipe proportions.