Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetable Base
- 1500 g roma tomatoes, roughly chopped
- 150 g yellow onion, chopped
- 15 g garlic, crushed
Seasonings and Preservatives
- 120 ml apple cider vinegar
- 80 g brown sugar
- 10 g salt
- 3 g mustard powder
- 2 g celery salt
- 1 g ground allspice
- 1 g ground cloves
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the chopped tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Bring to a gentle bubbling simmer.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and cook until all the vegetables are completely soft and breaking down, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
Remove the pot from the heat. Using an immersion blender, blend the vegetable mixture until it is as smooth as possible. If using a countertop blender, blend in batches and be careful with the hot liquid.
Pour the pureed mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean bowl, using a ladle or spatula to press the liquid through. Discard the skins and seeds left in the sieve.
Return the smooth tomato puree to the rinsed pot. Add the apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt, mustard powder, celery salt, ground allspice, ground cloves, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
Place the pot over low heat. Simmer gently, uncovered, stirring frequently. Continue to cook until the mixture reduces by about half and thickens to a ketchup consistency. Be careful as the thick mixture may splatter. A temperature of around 90C/195F should be maintained.
Remove from heat and let the ketchup cool to room temperature. Transfer to sterilized glass jars and refrigerate.
Chef's Notes
- Tomato varieties matter significantly here. Roma, San Marzano, or Amish Paste tomatoes have lower water content and higher pectin, resulting in a thicker ketchup in less time.
- The spices used here form a classic flavor profile, but ketchup is highly adaptable. Consider adding a pinch of cayenne pepper for heat or smoked paprika for a barbecue-style flavor.
- Constant stirring during the final stages of reduction is crucial. Because of the high sugar content from the tomatoes and added brown sugar, the bottom can scorch quickly once it thickens.
- For the smoothest texture, a high-powered blender is vastly superior to an immersion blender, though the sieve step is still strictly necessary to remove the seeds.
Storage
Refrigerator: 1 month — Store in a tightly sealed sterilized jar.
Freezer: 6 months — Freeze in an airtight container leaving room for expansion.
