Homemade Tomato Ketchup

Credit: Flickr / Chatiryworld

Grab some fresh, local tomatoes and whip up a batch of perfect ketchup

Take advantage of this summer’s tomato harvest by making homemade ketchup

You’ll find a bottle of tomato ketchup in the refrigerator of just about every home and on the tables of most eating establishments.

But since it’s the season for fresh, local tomatoes, it makes sense to make a batch at home that’s just to your taste and doesn’t contain any preservatives.

The Trick to Homemade Ketchup

The trick to good homemade ketchup is the consistency. Reduce the recipe slowly over low heat and remember that the ketchup will thicken more once removed from the heat and cooled, so reduce a bit less than you think you need to.

To get the most out of even the freshest tomatoes, slow roast them in the oven, then remove the peel and seeds before chopping. This will deepen the flavours and bring out the natural sugars.

If you have a gigantic crop of tomatoes, you can easily scale up this recipe. Just remember to be a bit more judicious when spicing. You can then put some of the ketchup in the freezer for later if you don’t feel like going through the more labour-intensive canning process.

Ingredients

• 6 cups (1.5L) tomato concasse (this will take about 6lbs of tomatoes)
• ½ onion, chopped
• ½ clove garlic, minced
• ¾ cup (175mL) water
• ½ tsp (2mL) salt
• 3 Tbsp (45mL) brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp (60mL) apple cider vinegar
• 1/8 tsp (0.5mL) cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp (0.5mL) cloves
• 1/8 tsp (0.5mL) fennel, ground
• 1 tsp (5mL) coriander
• ½ tsp (2mL) ground ginger
• 1/8 tsp black pepper, finely ground 

Instructions

1. In a large saucepan, simmer the tomato, onion, garlic, and water until the onions are mushy and the liquid is significantly reduced.
2. Cool slightly and purée in a blender or food processor. Place the purée back into a clean saucepan on low heat.
3. Add the sugar, salt, vinegar, and spices, and reduce until the mixture is slightly more wet and looser than the desired consistency.
4. Cool completely before serving.

Originally published in Edible Vancouver magazine.