Another one of the many shortages experienced during this COVID mess has involved ketchup, specifically the little packages fast-food restaurants hand out with fries. Bottled ketchup supplies haven't been affected.
However, our society is in crisis. I've heard rumblings about shortages in plastic containers of all sorts. We're still muddling through a severe shortage in canning lids. I think I've seen canning lids (just the lids) on store shelves only once in the past six months. What happens if/when the plastic bottle supply system is affected? I truly believe that it will happen, and when it does, our ketchup supply will also be affected. And I don't know about you, but I'm sure it's been years since I've seen any ketchup sold in glass bottles. Even if there are still glass bottle manufacturers in this country, it will take months at best to increase production and satisfy the country's demand for ketchup.
Unfortunately, ketchup is one of those items that just doesn’t store all that well. Most of it has high fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient, but even those that don’t still have a pretty short shelf life, especially when packaged in plastic. Ketchup in glass bottles lasts considerably longer. So we’ve got to be prepared to make our own. Ketchup is just too important to the American diet to do without.
And while a pretty fair ketchup can be made from tomato powder, using garden tomatoes will impart a fresher flavor.
Fresh Ketchup
4 lbs paste tomatoes, cored, quartered, and frozen*
3/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2/3 cup granulated sugar*
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
1/8 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
Completely thaw the frozen tomatoes and drain off the liquid. Reserve it for another use, like making vegetable soup stock. Run the tomatoes through a juicer or strainer to remove the seeds and skins.
Combine processed tomatoes and remaining ingredients in a slow cooker. Cook on high, uncovered, for about 4 hours or until thickened, stirring occasionally. To prepare for canning, transfer ketchup to a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring continuously. Ladle into prepared jars and apply lids and bands. Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, adjusting for high altitude as necessary. Makes two pints.
*May substitute two 28-oz cans of crushed tomatoes for the paste tomatoes. Also, tomatoes do not have to be frozen, but it will take several more hours to cook down the sauce.
*May substitute 1/3 cup honey for the sugar.
Links to related posts:
Run skins through a blender and add to ketchup to give it a red color, otherwise it can look brown.
ReplyDeleteRun skins through a blender and add to ketchup to give it a red color, otherwise it can look brown.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good idea.
Delete