Having grown up in Texas, my favorite condiment is of course, Salsa. But there’s another tomato specialty that ranks right up there at the top, and it is Homemade Ketchup. My Amish Grandmother (Barbara Glick-Dienner) made delicious ketchup, as did my Mama. There’s nothing that can compare to the tangy, slightly sweet, full of fresh-garden-produce, flavorful goodness of this homemade sauce.
I’ve modified the original recipe from the Mennonite Community Cookbook in several ways; first, making a smaller batch, and second, using canned tomato juice and tomato puree’ from the grocery store, as I don’t have access to half a bushel of fresh garden tomatoes at this time.
Begin by chopping the peppers, onions and celery into large pieces.
Place vegetables in a large pot, add 3 cups of water, and cook (over medium heat) for 3o minutes.
When vegetables have softened, pour into blender along with water from pot, and puree’.
Combine tomato puree’ and tomato juice in same pot in which vegetables were cooked.
Pour vegetable puree’ through strainer, into tomato mixture.
Stir, and place on low to medium heat.
Measure spices.
Add vinegar, sugar and spices to pot. Stir well. Cook at a simmer for 30 minutes.
Mix 2 tablespoons tapioca flour with 1/4 cup water in a small bowl, and stir till smooth. Add to tomato mixture, and stir well. Bring ketchup to a boil, then reduce heat and allow to thicken for 15 minutes.
If you want to preserve any of your ketchup, place new canning lids in simmering water, and sterilize pint jars with boiling water. Pour hot ketchup into jars and make sure tops are clean. Place canning lids on top, and finish with canning jar rings. Give your jars a “Water-bath” in canner for 15 minutes. Test jar lids by gently pressing the center in 24 hours to ensure they have sealed. If you hear a popping noise when you apply pressure, the jar has not sealed properly and should be kept in the refrigerator.
Enjoy your Homemade Ketchup in all the usual ways you would use the “store-bought” version!
Ingredients
- 1 quart tomato juice
- 32 ounces tomato puree'
- 1 red Bell pepper and 1 green Bell pepper
- 1 onion
- 5 stalks celery, including leaves
- 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 cups raw sugar
- 2 Tablespoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper + *a dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
- 4 cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon celery seed
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 2 rounded Tablespoon tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour)
Instructions
- Chop peppers and onions into quarters.
- Place in pot with 2 cups water and cook for 30 minutes. Remove from pot and puree for 1 minute in blender.
- Pour tomato juice and puree' in pot used to cook vegetables.
- Add liquid from strained vegetables.
- Add sugar, vinegar and spices.
- Bring to boil, turn down to low heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- (*If canning ketchup, prepare canning jars and lids now.)
- Mix tapioca starch (aka tapioca flour) with enough water to make a paste. Stir into hot tomato mixture and heat on high until thickened, stirring constantly.
- Put in jars while boiling hot to self seal. Put lids on immediately.
