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Cherry Ketchup

Source of Recipe

Brenda-Lee Olson


Recipe Introduction

Original recipe by Peggy Trowbridge Filippone

List of Ingredients

* 1 dried ancho chile
* 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
* 4 green peppercorns
* 6 whole allspice berries
* 1 whole nutmeg, cracked (tap carefully with a small hammer)
* 2 pounds sweet cherries, stemmed and pitted
* 1 cup red wine vinegar (at least 5% acidity)
* 2 Tablespoons sweet red wine (such as Lambrusco) or grape juice
* 1/2 pound (about 1-1/8 cups) brown sugar, packed
* 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
* 1/4 teaspoon salt



Recipe

Place ancho chile, mustard seeds, peppercorns, allspice berries, and nutmeg in the center of a double-layer square of cheesecloth.

Bring corners up and tie into a bag. Set aside.

Place cherries, wine vinegar, red wine or grape juice, brown sugar, mace, and salt in a large stockpot.

Add the spice bag.

Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until cherries have softened.

Scoop the cherries out of the pot and transfer to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until pureed.

Return the cherry puree to the pot. Return to a simmer and cook 1 hour, until thickened.

Remove and discard the spice bag.

Transfer cherry ketchup to hot sterilized 1/2-pint canning jars.

Wipe rims and cap with hot sterilized lids and rings.

Process 15 minutes in a boiling water bath according to manufacturers' instructions.

Let cool to room temperature.

If you do not wish to can it, store cherry ketchup in a sealed container in the refrigerator up to 3 weeks.

Yield: 3 half-pints