Whaaaat!? Look at us just living summer like it ain’t no thing. First we make our own buns and now we make our own condiments!?
Our summer selves are amazing. Our summer selves deserve high-fives and extra marshmallows on our s’mores. Speaking of s’mores… you should totally make these Toasted Marshmallow Squares for the upcoming holiday weekend… not that I’m being bossy or anything.
Let’s talk about ketchup! It’s pleasingly easy to make. If you can chop an onion and if you like to simmer the heck out of canned tomato and spices, this is totally up your alley.
Just adding to your summer bragging rights list! No big deal.
In some ways it feels like it takes ketchup to make ketchup.
That’s almost true.
It takes various tomato products along with a major amount of spice, sugar, and vinegar.
Onions and garlic should go in just about everything ever… except French Toast.
Spices and tomato paste are added to the cooked down onions and garlic. Adding the spices before the liquid helps the flavors bloom. That’s a real thing. Get into it.
The tomato mixture is boiled down for about 45 minutes. In that time it goes from being ‘tomato mixture’ to ‘ketchup’.
It’s a simmering miracle.
I like a homemade ketchup that’s a little rough around the edges.
The simmered ketchup is blended with an immersion blender creating a smooth-ish, spicy sauce. It’s so flavorful. You’ll totally pat yourself on the back.
If you weren’t a ketchup person before, maybe… just maybe you are now. This spread is sweet and spicy. It’s full of some really lovely spices that blend together into a lovely and indecipherable blend of goodness. Little jars of this ketchup also makes a great hostess gift during the summer months. Look at you being so dang thoughtful and seasonal. You’re making life look easy. Good on ya!
Homemade Spicy Ketchup
makes 3 cups ketchup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon smokey paprika
big pinch ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, heat mellows as the ketchup cools
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with juice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
Place oil in a medium saucepan, over medium heat. I used a 3 quart sauce pan and it seemed like the perfect fit. Saute onions until they are transparent, tender, and begin to brown, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute more. Add the tomato paste, salt, and all of the spices to the pan. Stir until the tomato paste is evenly distributed, and the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Add brown sugar, vinegar, and crushed tomatoes. Stir to combine.
Let mixture simmer over low heat for about 45 minutes. Mixture will thicken to a ketchup consistency. Stir occasionally.
Remove pan from heat, and use an immersion blender to blend to the chunky ketchup smooth. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can carefully place the warm ketchup in a regular blender to blend smooth. Just be sure to leave the blender lid slightly ajar so the warm contents don’t burst. After using either an immersion or regular blender, strain ketchup through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. This will remove any unwanted seeds. I leave mine chunky cause I’m dirty like that. Get into it.
Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary. Store ketchup in glass jars in the fridge. Ketchup will last for up to 1 month in the fridge!
In a Trendy Town
Thanks for the recipe, natural ketchup will be always better!
inatrendytown.blogspot.com
Abby @ The Frosted Vegan
Yes yes and yes. I need this to dress up my hot diggity dogs!!
Jamie
Love this idea! So great to know how to do this yourself!
Tieghan
Love this idea! I have to make it!
Meg H
Love homemade ketchup – never use the bottle stuff anymore. But I make mine with half tomatoes and half roasted peppers. Yum! also make relish and mustard – so I am good to go for any cookout. (BTW, use your cookbook so much pages got stuck together! That thing is getting a workout.)
ileana
Fantastic! Can’t wait to see what’s up next this week! The hot dog buns looked great, too. :)
Sophie @ The Spotty Teapot
I’ve always wanted to make my own ketchup, especially if we’re having a barbecue. I’ve just never really got round to it, but that may be due to us never having the right weather for a barbecue *sigh*.
x
Jayne
I am always and forever will be a ketchup person.
Christina @ Scaredy Cat Kitchen
I like the idea of a summer bragging rights list and this definitely needs to go on mine!
phanie
BUT IS IT BETTER THAN YOUR CURRY KETCHUP THAT I HAVE BEEN MAKING FOR THE PAST YEAR????
I have my doubts….
xoxox
Phanie
Kathryn
Oh yes, this is getting made this weekend.
Averie @ Averie Cooks
I make mustard, honey mustard, salad dressing, mayo, you name it, I love condiments and have tried my hand at homemade – except not ketchup. And I LOVE ketchup!!! The fact that you said it’s sweet and spicy, oh that just seals the deal! If you’re selling this, I would buy a couple cases from you, asap! :)
Vinnie @ Jarhead
Thanks for this great recipe. I actually recently made homemade ketchup too. I used fresh tomatoes but they were out of season here in Australia, so I had to balance out the acidity with some extra sugar. Next time I’ll try using canned tomatoes like you instead!
Jennifer
This may be what I make for Christmas gifts this year!
Emily Outcalt
this is unappetizing at midnight, but my higher self knows that’s because I’m tired. time for bed and better judgment in the morning. (it looks awesome)