Easy Homemade Ketchup Recipe: with canning instructions
Equipment
- 1 Food Mill
- 1 Water Bath Canner
Materials
- 8 lbs chopped tomatoes
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 red bell pepper, diced
- 2 cups appl cider vinegar
- 1 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup bottled lemon juice
- 1 TBSP salt
- 1 tsp celery seeds
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1 tsp yellow mustard seeds
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1 cinnamon stick, crushed
Instructions
- Combine tomatoes, onion, and pepper into a pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 30 minutes or until completely soft.
- Once soft, run everything through a food mill to remove the seeds and skins. Once the tomato pulp is separated from the seeds and skins, add back to the pot.
- Add in vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt, celery seeds, and cayenne pepper to your pot.
- Using a piece of cheese cloth or tea bag, bundle all other spices together and add to the pot.
- Bring everything up to a simmer and cook until it is reduced by half. This will take anywhere from 1-3 hours. We like our ketchup thicker, so ours takes about 3 hours.
- When your ketchup is almost to your desired consistency, fill your canner with water and turn it on. Wash 6 half pint jars with lids and rings in warm soapy water.
- Place clean jars in the canner to stay warm while your ketchup is finishing cooking.
- Once your ketchup is at it's desired consistency, remove each jar from the canner. Using a wide mouth funnel, fill each jar with hot ketchup leaving a 1/2" headspace.
- Stick the back of a spoon or canning wand in each jar a few times to remove any air bubbles. Wipe the rims completely clean with a clean wet dish towel.
- Add your rings and lids on tightening finger tip tight.
- Place the jars into the canner. Make sure the jars are completely submerged in water with about 1-2" of water above each jar.
- Place lid on and bring back to a rolling boil. Once water is boiling process your jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for your elevation.
- When the timer has gone off, turn stove off and remove lid.
- Remove each jar carefully and place on a clean dish towel. Leave there undisturbed for 12-24 hours. I usually leave them overnight.
- After they are cool, check each jar to ensure they sealed and remove the rings. Wipe each jar with a clean towel. Label the lids with the contents and the year. You are ready to store on the shelf all year long!