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Tomato Ketchup (Low Sugar)

Source of Recipe

From "Naturally Sweet Food in Jars" by Marisa McClellan


Recipe Introduction

"I believe that making ketchup from scratch is one of those things that everyone should do at least once, if only to appreciate just how many tomatoes it takes to fill a single bottle of Heinz. This version isn't quite as smooth and glossy as the store-bought version, but the flavor can't be beat. I make at least one batch every season to use as a delicious glaze on top of turkey meatloaf."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 8 pounds chopped paste or Roma tomatoes
â—¦ 1 medium yellow onion, diced
â—¦ 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
â—¦ 2 cups cider vinegar
â—¦ 1 cup pure maple syrup
â—¦ ¼ cup bottled lemon juice
â—¦ 1 tablespoon salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon celery seeds
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦ 1 teaspoon whole cloves
â—¦ 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
â—¦ 1 teaspoon whole allspice
â—¦ 1 cinnamon stick, crushed


Recipe

Prepare a boiling water bath and six half-pint jars.

Combine the tomatoes, onion, and bell peppers in a large, nonreactive pot. Bring to a boil and cook until entirely soft, about 30 minutes. When the tomato mixture is soft, position a sieve or food mill over a large bowl and work the tomato mash through. Once the tomato pulp has been separated from the seeds and skins, return it to the pot. The seeds and skins may be discarded.

Add the vinegar, maple syrup, lemon juice, salt, celery seeds, and cayenne directly to the pot. Using a spice bag, tea ball, or length of cheesecloth, bundle up the remaining spices and place them in the pot. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring regularly, until the mixture has reduced by half and is quite thick, between 1 and 2 hours. When the ketchup has finished cooking, remove the spice bundle and funnel the ketchup into the prepared jars, leaving ½ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims, apply the lids and rings, and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Makes 6 half-pint jars