I love ketchup, in our household we are big fans, and making our own homemade version from red ripe tomatoes and sweet apples from the garden is one of the best activities of late summer and autumn. The added apples are a nice Scandinavian touch, and it truly makes this ketchup so delicious. I make about 3 of these batches for a years supply and freeze them, and thaw as needed. Use for fries, hotdogs, burgers, or pimping stews, dressings and everything else your heart desires.
Makes about 1.8 L (60 oz)
Ingredients
- 1.8 kg tomatoes - ideally roma tomatoes (3.9 lbs)
- 4 red onions
- 3 apples
- 150 ml apple cider vinegar (5.07 oz)
- 150g sugar (4.9 oz)
- 5 tablespoons brown sugar
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 pinch chili flakes (optional)
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
What you will need
- Cutting board and knife
- 1 big pot (4L / 1 Gallon or bigger)
- Measuring cups/spoons/a scale
- 1 stick blender
- 1 mesh sieve and big bowl (optional)
- Sterilzed glass jars as needed or freezer bags
Instructions
Sterilizing jars and timing
- The jar should be clean, sterilized and hot when the ketchup is finished, so prepare it while the ketchup is cooking.
- Wash your glass jar in hot soap and rinse.
- Boil the rubber closures (if any) for a few minutes separately.
- Put the glass jar (without the rubber if any) in the oven on 140°c (280°F) and bake until dry.
- Take out just before the ketchup is ready, so the container is hot and the ketchup is hot, this will prevent the glass from breaking when pouring the hot ketchup into it. Sterilizing is important to keep your ketchup from spoiling. If sterilized well the ketchup can keep good unopened for months stored in the fridge.
Ketchup
- Half the tomatoes, cut out the hard part where the stem was connected, add to the pot. Core the apples and roughly chop, add to the pot. Peel and chop the red onions and the garlic cloves, put in the pot with the rest of the ingredients.
Turn the heat on high and bring to a simmer, without a lid on. When simmering turn the heat to medium or low, so it’s on a constant simmer for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Cooking time depends on your tomato of choice, roma tomatoes with less liquid/seeds will cook quicker, and very watery tomatoes will take longer. Afterwards blend it smooth with a stick blender.- (Optional step) Strain the ketchup through a fine mesh sieve to a big bowl - this is only if the finest ketchup texture without seeds is important to you. Add to the pot again and simmer until thickened, stirring on occation. I often skip this step, I just blend it as smooth as possible and simmer it until thickened, to about 1.8L / 60 oz or so.
- Transfer the ketchup to the hot sterilzed jar(s). Avoid spilling on the outside rim, wipe off any if so, this will prevent the ketchup from spoiling. Cover with the lid, don´t seal shut, let cool for about 5 minutes, then seal shut while still hot. If sterilized well it can keep good for months unopened. Store in the frigde when cooled down. Alternatively it can be frozen in smaller batches, and thawed in the fridge as needed.
Enjoy !
