How to make…Harvest Ketchup

In our household, we use more ketchup than any other condiment. We use it for hot dogs and hamburgers, but it also gets used in soups and stews, and even to fortify gravy. So, this year, in addition to making tomato sauce, I also made several batches of harvest ketchup.

It’s called “Harvest Ketchup” because it uses up all the veggies that we had in our harvest and cupboard. Onions, peppers, carrots, celery… I didn’t go so far as to add any other leafy greens, cucumbers, or zucchini, but the thought did cross my mind.

The key to ketchup is low and slow. It takes A LONG TIME to get it cooked down to the thickness of a good ketchup. We’re talking hours. As you’ll see in my video, this particular batch was probably canned while it was still pretty saucy, but that’s okay. Since so much of our ketchup is used in cooking anyway, we’ll get away with it.

For me, there are two “secret” ingredients to harvest ketchup: cloves and molasses. I strongly urge you to use at least a little of both of these if you go ahead and try to make harvest ketchup for yourself.

Ingredients

4	Pounds	Ripe tomatoes	Chopped (strain to reduce liquid)
3	Medium	Onions	Chopped
2-3	Medum	Bell peppers	Chopped
5	Sticks	Celery	Chopped (or use celery seed)
2	Cloves	Garlic	Finely chopped (or use garlic powder)
1	Cup	Apple cider vinegar
1	Cup	Brown sugar	Packed
¼	Cup	Molasses
1	tsp	Ginger
1	tsp	Cloves
1	tsp	Cinnamon
1	tsp	Salt
1	tsp	Black pepper
		Hot sauce	Just a couple dashes, to taste.

Preparation

1. Chop all the vegetables and add to a large pot.
2. Add the vinegar, sugar and other spices.
3. Simmer on low (250^○ F), uncovered, until the onions are translucent; about an hour.  Stir occasionally.
4. Carefully blend the hot mixture on very high speed until smooth and emulsified.
5. Transfer back to the pot to continue to cook down (uncovered) and thicken, adding the molasses and hot sauce, if using.  Stir occasionally to avoid burning, especially later in the cooking process.
6. Ketchup is done when it’s reached the thickness you prefer.  Consider using a roaster to cook it low and slow overnight.
7. Transfer while hot to jars and process in a hot water bath for 10 minutes or more, depending on your altitude.
8. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months, checking seals periodically.

Watch us make it

Check out my YouTube video by clicking the image below to see how I make my harvest ketchup. And don’t forget to like, and subscribe to our channel while you’re there.

And if you have any questions about this recipe, just ask us using the form below.

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