Tomato Ketchup

If you’re growing tomatoes in the garden, or you catch sight of some really beautiful ones at the market in summer, just think how much of a treat it would be to offer your family or guests homemade ketchup. It’s great fun to make. And you can make different colours of ketchup using just yellow, orange or green tomatoes.

33 lbs tomatoes, sliced (about 15-quarts) (15 kg)
½ cup sea salt (125 mL)
¾ cup pepper, freshly cracked (175 mL)
1/3 cup cinnamon (75 mL)
2 Tbsp. ground cloves (30 mL)
1 Tbsp. cayenne pepper (15 mL)
2/3 cup sugar (150 mL)
4-quarts apple cider vinegar (4 L)

Stew the tomatoes in their own juices until soft and rub through a fine sieve. Boil the pulp and juice down to the consistency of apple butter, stirring steadily to prevent burning.

Mix the spices and sugar with the vinegar, and add to the tomatoes. Boil up twice, then bottle. Process.

Makes about 22 pints (11 L).