Eureka Ketchup

If I were a company I would not be sharing this with you!  But since I am not a company and probably will not make tons of money, mass producing my ketchup, I will share it with you.  Cause I am nice like that. 

You want to know why this ketchup makes me so dang happy that I want to shout EUREKA!  Because I hate buying ketchup!  My one daughter goes threw it, like, well, Ranch dressing.  You know all the stuff that is loaded with chemicals and lots and lots of sugar.  Oh, and have I mentioned corn syrup, high fructose syrup and fructose (can you say more sugar?).  Bonus besides having much less sugar it also tastes fabulous! 

While I liked previous ketchups I made with lots of different spices in it, my daughters did not.  So this is like finding the jack pot.  They like it, its economical and I get to control what is in it!

I started out making this recipe for Batch #1.

3 pounds Romas

1 can tomato paste

1 large clove garlic

1/2 cup vinegar

1 tablespoon molasses

1 teaspoon xanthan gum

1 1/2 teaspoons citric acid

1 tablespoon arrowroot powder

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 teaspoon beet powder

1 tablespoon kosher salt

1 tablespoon garlic powder

Then, I moved to this recipe for Batch #2. Which you will find as my final recipe this year.  I think... Because, the "do I have enough ketchup" obsession thought keeps running through my head.  Okay, for now, it is my final batch of ketchup.

Both are good.  But Batch #2 has even less sugar which, of course, is a good thing. 

You might ask why I add xanthan gum.  It helps keep everything mixed up.  You don't have to add it to yours, but you probably will need to shake things up a bit before you serve it.

 

EUREKA KETCHUP

Equipment Needed

Hand held strainer with small holes... like this.
Smallish size pot that you can whack the strainer on to extract the sauce from the tomatoe peels and such.
canning jars 8 or 9 of them
canning lids
canning rings 
canning pot
canning reacher "arm"
blender
measuring cups
and of course measuring spoons and measuring cups

ingredients
9 pounds Roma tomatoes (pretty near a peck)

3 can tomato paste

1 1/2 cup vinegar

3 tablespoon molasses

3 teaspoon xanthan gum

3 teaspoons citric acid

3 tablespoon arrowroot powder

3 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons beet powder

3 tablespoon Kosher* salt

3 tablespoon garlic powder
3 bay leafs

Wash and clean the tomatoes. Core the tomatoes. Cut away any bad spots. Cut in half, squeeze it a little as you are placing it in a large pot that you plan to cook it in. 

Add in vinegar, bay leaves and molasses.  Cook until those tomatoes are falling apart on a gentle simmer. Like 30 minutes for more.  You want it mushed and you want some of the liquids to evaporate.  So don't put a lid on it.   

While that is happily cooking away, gather the ingredients that you are going to need and the equipment.

Discard the bay leaves. Blend all the tomatoes.  As you blend each batch pour through strainer.  Use a spoon to run along the bottom of the strainer to keep the liquid falling through.  Once most of the liquid is drained away, give the strained a good whack on the side of the pot you are emptying into.  This will force the juice away from the skins and seeds.  Pretty soon you will have this clump of seeds and skin that just jumps around in the strainer when you whack it.  That is when you know you have pulled enough of the good liquid away. 

Once you have extracted all the juice, heat it again.  This is when you are going to add your other ingredients.  Whisk each ingredient in to avoid clumps.  Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Stirring frequently.

Use a measuring cup and pour the beautiful ketchup liquid into the Mason jars. Place lids on and screw them down with the bands, place in canner.  For any remaining jars pour the liquid and rest one of the lids on but don't screw down with one of the bands.  It may seal.  But you don't want a seal like this.  You want a seal in the canner with all the heat and boiling water.  

Process jars for 15 minutes.

Mrs. Wages Ketchup My Way

It would be a cliché to quote Frank Sinatra in his song, "I Did It My Way".  But I can't help but have that song rolling over and over again in my brain as I write this post. 

I don't say "my way" because I am thinking I am awesome.  I say "my way" so that next time when I go to can ketchup I know exactly what I did.

I don't know about you but I am often put off by the strong flavors of homemade ketchup.  Sometimes I like it, on certain things.  Like a burger, when it compliments the flavors.  There are time when I don't like it.  Like on French Fries, because for me, the ketchup should taste a certain way.

Finding the right ketchup, that tastes that certain way, without going to the store to buy it, is a bit of a challenge.  I think I have found a solution.  It might be temporary though.

Mrs. Wages are premixed "spice packs" that you can add to your canning process.  There are other things in the mix.  Since I try to stay away from packaged things as much as possible, and really that is a big part of why I can fruits and vegetables, I hate my reliance on it.  But it will do until I find the perfect combination of spices and such.

On the Mrs. Wages package it says, 6 pounds of tomatoes.  I used 7 and I did it a different way so I am going to rewrite the recipe like I did it.  Of course, you are still adding that package of Mrs. Wages.

Adding that pound with yield more ketchup.  But it will also tone down the spices into more of what I like about commercial ketchup.

Mrs. Wages Ketchup, My Way

7 pounds fresh Roma tomatoes (weighed after coring them)
1 cup white vinegar
1 6 ouncs can tomato paste
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 pouch Mrs. Wages Ketchup Mix

Start with pretty ripe Roma's.  You want them to be at their peak.  They will be sweeter and meatier.

Wash the tomatoes. Cut of bad spot and cores.  Squeeze them with your hand into the pot.  The package directions say to mash it with a tomato masher.  I am here to tell you friends, your hands are much faster and effective.  But do make sure they are clean first.

Start the flame on low just so nothing burns.  Turn to medium high after the tomatoes start to release more of their juices. Reduce to simmer and let cook at least for a half an hour. You want some of the liquids to evaporate.  This will yield a thicker ketchup.

Turn off the heat.  Place about 3 cups of the mixture into the blender.  I place a towel over the top because sometimes the hot liquid can rise and force the top open a little.  Let me tell you, that hurts.  I also start the blender on 'stir' to get things going and then I move it up to 'liquefy'. 
 

Pour the liquid through a strainer.  You will need to run a spoon around the bottom of the strainer.  You are basically forcing the small solids through.  You want these small solids.  Again, it will add to the thickness. Once you have forced as much through as possible, then you tap the strainer edge on the side of the pot you are straining into.  A couple times do this,  This will force the rest of the solids through. Pretty soon there will be a ball of tomato skin and seed bouncing in the strainer.  That is when you know You have forced as much of the mush tomato through as possible.  Discard those solids or better yet, compost them.

Now that you have cooked and strained as much of it through as possible, you can proceed with the recipe as it is written.

"Combine juice, tomato paste and vinegar into a large pot and bring to a boil.  Stir frequently.  Slowly add sugar and Ketchup Mix to hot juice until evenly dispersed.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.  Ketchup is ready." (Mrs. Wages Ketchup package directions).

The only thing I would add is that I used a whisk to mix in the Ketchup Mix.  It clumps very easy.  You could also take some of the hot liquid out and mix it with the powder in a separate container and then pour it back in. 

You can freeze it or can it.  If you can it.  You will need to process it for 40 minutes.  What does that mean? Process?  Bring a large pot of water, preferably a canner, to a boil.  Pour liquid into canning jars, place lids on top and screw down with a jar ring tightly.  Place hot jars into hot water.  Bring to a boil in the canner.  Once the water in the canner has reached boiling, Let boil for 40 minutes.  Remove with a jar remover and place on towel on counter to cool.  You want to make sure you hear that ping.  This lets you know it has properly sealed.  After 24 hours, push down on lids, if they spring back, they are not sealed.  They need to be refrigerated and used. To learn more about canning please consult a Ball Canning Book or go to this site and learn more about safe canning practices.

If you are anything like me, you will ask what is in this list of ingredients on the Mrs. Wages package.  Here yah go: salt, food starch, evaporated can sugar, beet powder, onion, natural flavor, xanthan gum,citric acid, paprika spice, garlic.

Cranberry Ketchup

Yes, I am a bit cranberry crazy.  Since I bought so many, I have been trying lots of things to do with cranberries.  It's like a study in cranberries.  Cranberry 101.

This stuff is amazing.  I really liked it- lots of flavor and tang!

Cranberry Ketchup
Adapted from Ocean Spray

½ cup chopped red onion
2 teaspoons minced garlic
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup Ocean Spray® Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon chipotle flavored hot sauce
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 cup brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and cook until all the cranberries have popped and and the mixture is thick.