Email to Brenda-Lee Olson      

Peach Ketchup

Source of Recipe

Brenda-Lee Olson


Recipe Introduction

Original recipe by Peggy Trowbridge Filippone

List of Ingredients

* 1 small vanilla bean
* 2 (2-inch) strips orange zest
* 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
* 1 cinnamon stick
* 1-1/2-inch slice peeled ginger root
* 6 whole cloves
* 6 whole allspice berries
* 1 nutmeg, cracked (tap carefully with a small hammer)
* 5 pounds ripe peaches, peeled, pitted, and chopped
* 2-1/2 cups champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar (minimum 5% acidity)
* 1 pound (2-1/4 cups packed) brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon salt




Recipe

Slit vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Use the blade of the knife to scrape out the tiny seeds and pulp. Reserve each separately and set aside.

Place vanilla bean halves (reserve seeds and pulp for later), orange zest, mustard seeds, cinnamon stick, ginger, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg in the center of a double-layer square of cheesecloth. Bring corners up and tie into a bag. Set aside.

In a large stockpot, bring peaches, champagne or white wine vinegar, brown sugar, salt, reserved vanilla seeds with pulp, and spice bag to a boil over high heat.

Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer about 30 minutes, until peaches are extremely soft.

Scoop the peaches out of the pot (reserving the liquid) and transfer to a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Process until pureed.

Return the peach puree to the pot.

Return to a simmer and cook 1 hour, until thickened.

Remove and discard the spice bag.

Skim off any residue from the top with a shallow spoon.

Transfer peach 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 and store.

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

Yield: 5 to 6 half-pints

Author's Notes: This is particularly good with pork and chicken.