Welcome To Wild Cottage

Recipes, wild food, natural remedies, organic gardening, Irish music, eating and thoughts on life in general

Wednesday 2 September 2009

Homemade Tomato Ketchup

Tonight I am making tomato ketchup mmmmm.

I hated ketchup all my life (junk food full of chemicals). And then 2 years ago I had so many tomatoes I needed something extra to make with them. As I was involved in farmer's markets at the time, I decided to make tomato ketchup and sell it !

I never dreamt I'd want to eat it all...

Now I make enough to last me a year until next years tomato crop. Roughly double the quantities in the recipe below will supply me for the year, although I'm just one person.

I also use almost all organic ingredients, and naturally the veggies are organic as I grow most myself.

Tomato Ketchup
(Original recipe adapted from the Australian Women's Weekly)

4.5 lbs Tomatoes
2 medium Onions
8oz White Sugar
4.5 fluid ounces Red Wine Vinegar (just over half a cup)
1 tablespoon thick Tomato Puree
2 teaspoons coarse Sea Salt
1 Bay Leaf
1 teaspoon Black Peppercorns
6 whole Cloves

1. Chop the tomatoes and onions roughly. They don't need to be small. Put in a large saucepan.

2. Place the bay leaf, peppercorns and cloves into a muslin bag and tie tightly to close. Put the bag into the pan with the tomatoes and onion.

3. Bring to the boil.

4. Simmer uncovered for about 45 minutes. Stir now and then. If at 45 minutes the onion isn't soft, keep going until it is.

5. Take out the bag and throw away.

6. Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.

7. Blend the mixture with a hand blender or in a food processor until it is smooth.

8. Strain the blended mixture through a fine sieve and put it back into the saucepan.

9. Add all the other ingredients. Stir over a gentle heat and do not let it boil. Do this until the sugar dissolves.

10. Now simmer for from 15 to 60 minutes, uncovered, or until the mixture thickens to the pouring consistency that you personally like.

11. Pour the hot ketchup into sterilised jars or bottles and seal them fast whilst still very hot.

I have kept these in a cool dark place for up to a year. However, once you open one it will need to be kept in a fridge.

No comments:

Post a Comment