Okay, so picture this: a sunny afternoon, burgers sizzling on the grill, and you reach for that bottle of ketchup… but wait! What if you could grab a jar of something you made yourself? Something bursting with fresh tomato flavor, not just sugar and weird stuff you can’t pronounce? That’s exactly why I got hooked on making my own **Tomato Ketchup Recipe**.

Honestly, I used to just buy whatever was on sale. But one summer, with way too many tomatoes from the garden, I decided to give it a go. And WOW. The difference is just incredible! It’s richer, it’s got that little zing you only get from real ingredients, and you can totally make it exactly how *you* like it. This isn’t just a condiment; it’s like a little jar of summer sunshine. Making this homemade ketchup recipe feels kinda like magic, turning simple veggies into something truly special.

Why Make This Tomato Ketchup Recipe?

Alright, so why bother making your own ketchup when you can just grab a bottle at the store? Trust me, it’s totally worth it! Here’s the lowdown on why this homemade **Tomato Ketchup Recipe** is a game-changer:

Flavor Explosion: Seriously, the taste is just miles better. It’s bright, tangy, and tastes like actual tomatoes, not just sweet syrup.
You’re the Boss: You get to control exactly what goes in. Less sugar? More spice? You can tweak it to perfectly match your taste buds.
Know What You’re Eating: No mystery ingredients here! Just fresh veggies and spices you recognize.
Seriously Satisfying: There’s nothing quite like popping open a jar of ketchup you made yourself. It just feels good!

It’s a little project, sure, but the payoff in flavor and knowing you made it from scratch? Priceless!

Ingredients for Your Homemade Tomato Ketchup Recipe

Okay, let’s talk about what you’ll need to whip up this amazing **Tomato Ketchup Recipe**. It’s all pretty straightforward stuff, but getting the right kind and prep makes a difference! You’ll want:

A whopping 6 pounds of really ripe tomatoes, make sure they’re cored and quartered
2 cups of chopped onion
1 cup of chopped celery
1 cup of chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves of garlic, all nicely minced
1 1/2 cups of good old white vinegar
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar (the dark stuff gives it extra depth!)
1/4 cup of granulated sugar
1 tablespoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon of ground allspice

See? Simple, fresh ingredients ready to become something magical!

Necessary Equipment for This Tomato Ketchup Recipe

You don’t need a super fancy kitchen for this **Tomato Ketchup Recipe**, but a few key pieces of equipment will make your life SO much easier! Here’s what I always have on hand:

A really big, heavy-bottomed pot (you’ll be simmering for a while!)
A food mill or a fine-mesh sieve (to get that silky smooth texture)
And if you plan on canning, you’ll need your canning supplies – jars, lids, rings, and a boiling water canner.

That’s pretty much it! Ready to get started?

Step-by-Step Instructions for Your Tomato Ketchup Recipe

Okay, deep breaths! Making this **Tomato Ketchup Recipe** is a process, but each step is totally doable and gets you closer to that glorious homemade goodness. Follow along, and you’ll be a ketchup-making pro in no time!

First things first, grab that big pot. Toss in your prepped tomatoes, onion, celery, green pepper, and minced garlic. Give it all a good stir.
Put that pot over medium-high heat and bring it to a rolling boil. Once it’s bubbling away, turn the heat down to low, cover it up, and let it simmer gently for about 30 minutes. You want those veggies to get nice and tender.
Now for the fun part (or messy, depending on your perspective!). You need to get rid of the skins and seeds. Carefully pour the hot vegetable mixture through a food mill. Mine splatters a bit, so I usually put a towel down! If you don’t have a food mill, you can use a fine-mesh sieve – just be prepared for a bit more elbow grease to push it all through. You’ll end up with a lovely, smooth purée.
Pour that beautiful purée back into your clean pot. Now, stir in all the good stuff: the white vinegar, both kinds of sugar (brown and granulated), salt, ground mustard, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Give it a really good stir to make sure everything is combined.
Crank the heat back up and bring the mixture to a boil again. As soon as it boils, reduce the heat to low. This is where the magic happens – and requires patience! You’re going to simmer it, stirring occasionally (seriously, don’t forget to stir or it’ll stick and burn!), for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The goal here is to thicken it up to that perfect ketchup consistency. It’ll reduce quite a bit, so don’t be alarmed if it looks like a lot at the start.
Okay, time to jar it up! Make sure your jars are sterilized and hot. Carefully (seriously, it’s hot!) pour the simmering ketchup into the jars, leaving about 1/2 inch of space at the top. Wipe the rims clean with a damp cloth – this is super important for sealing. Pop the lids and rings on, tightening them just finger-tight.
If you’re canning, place your filled jars in a boiling water canner, making sure they’re covered by at least an inch of water. Bring the water back to a full boil and process the jars for 15 minutes.
Once the processing time is up, carefully remove the jars from the canner and place them on a wire rack to cool completely. You’ll likely hear those satisfying “pop” sounds as they seal! Check the seals after 12-24 hours before storing.

Phew! You did it! Now you’ve got glorious homemade ketchup ready to go.

Tips for Perfecting Your Tomato Ketchup Recipe

Making this **Tomato Ketchup Recipe** is pretty straightforward, but a few little tricks can take it from good to absolutely amazing. Trust me on these!

Tomato Power: Use the ripest, most flavorful tomatoes you can get your hands on. Garden tomatoes are the dream, but good quality farmers market ones work wonders. The better the tomato, the better the ketchup!
Taste and Adjust: Don’t be afraid to taste the ketchup as it simmers! Is it too sweet for you? Add a splash more vinegar. Need a little more sweetness? Stir in a tiny bit more sugar. It’s *your* ketchup!
Thickness is Key: Simmering time is your friend here. You want it thick enough to stay on a burger bun, but not so thick it’s a paste. It will thicken a bit more as it cools, so keep that in mind.
Spice it Up: Feeling adventurous? A pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes stirred in during the last 30 minutes of simmering gives it a lovely little kick!

Just these few things can make a big difference in your final batch of homemade goodness!

Variations on the Tomato Ketchup Recipe

One of the best parts about making your own **Tomato Ketchup Recipe** is that you can totally play around with it! Once you’ve got the basic recipe down, feel free to get creative. Want a different vibe? Try swapping out the white vinegar for apple cider vinegar for a slightly fruitier tang. Or, for a smoky flavor that’s amazing with BBQ, stir in a little bit of smoked paprika or even a dash of liquid smoke towards the end of simmering.

You can also play with the spices! Maybe you love cloves and want a little more, or perhaps you prefer less cinnamon. Go for it! It’s your kitchen, your ketchup!

Serving Suggestions for Your Tomato Ketchup Recipe

Alright, you’ve made this glorious **Tomato Ketchup Recipe**, now what?! The possibilities are pretty endless, but here are some of my absolute favorite ways to enjoy this homemade goodness:

Slathered generously on a juicy burger or hot dog – it’s a game-changer!
Dipping crispy homemade fries (or even store-bought ones, I won’t tell!)
As a killer condiment for deli sandwiches.
Mixed into meatloaf or BBQ sauce for an extra punch of flavor.

Basically, anywhere you’d use regular ketchup, this homemade version will make it ten times better!

Storing and Reheating Your Tomato Ketchup Recipe

Once your beautiful **Tomato Ketchup Recipe** has cooled and the jars have sealed, you can store them in a cool, dark place like your pantry for up to a year. If a jar doesn’t seal properly (the lid will be flexible when pressed), just pop it in the fridge and use it within a few weeks. You don’t really need to reheat ketchup for serving, even if it’s been in the fridge – it’s usually best served at room temperature or slightly chilled!

Frequently Asked Questions About This Tomato Ketchup Recipe

Got questions about whipping up this **Tomato Ketchup Recipe**? Perfectly normal! Here are a few things people often ask:

How long does this homemade ketchup last? If you process the jars properly in a boiling water canner, your homemade tomato ketchup should be shelf-stable for up to a year in a cool, dark place. Once opened, keep it in the fridge and use it within a few weeks, just like store-bought.

My ketchup isn’t thickening enough! What did I do wrong? Don’t worry! The most common reason is not simmering it long enough. Just keep simmering it uncovered, stirring often, until it reaches your desired thickness. Remember it will thicken a bit more as it cools.

Can I use canned tomatoes instead of fresh? You *can*, but the flavor won’t be quite the same. Fresh, ripe tomatoes really make this **ketchup recipe** sing! If you do use canned, make sure they are plain crushed tomatoes and you might need to adjust the simmering time slightly.

Can I cut the sugar down? Absolutely! The beauty of making your own **homemade ketchup** is customizing it. You can reduce the sugar, but keep in mind it contributes to the texture and preservation. Taste as you go and find the balance you like!

Estimated Nutritional Information for Your Tomato Ketchup Recipe

Just a quick note on nutrition! The values here are estimates based on the recipe ingredients. Keep in mind that the exact numbers can change depending on the specific tomatoes you use or the brands of sugar and vinegar you choose. It’s a good ballpark, though!

Enjoy Your Homemade Creation!

Seriously, you’ve done it! Take a moment to admire your beautiful jars of homemade ketchup. Now go on, try it out! I promise you’ll be so proud. Let me know how it turns out in the comments!

Amazing Tomato Ketchup Recipe using 6 pounds

Author: goforecipes.com
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Yield: about 4 pints 1x

Print Recipe

Description

Make your own delicious homemade tomato ketchup.

Ingredients

Scale

6 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Instructions

Combine tomatoes, onion, celery, green pepper, and garlic in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
Press mixture through a food mill or fine-mesh sieve to remove skins and seeds.
Return purée to the pot. Stir in vinegar, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, ground mustard, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until thickened to desired consistency.
Pour hot ketchup into sterilized jars, leaving 1/2 inch of headspace. Wipe rims clean and secure lids.
Process jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes.
Let jars cool completely on a wire rack. Check seals before storing.

Notes

Use ripe, flavorful tomatoes for the best results.
Adjust sugar and vinegar to your taste.
For a spicier ketchup, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes.

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours
Category: Condiment
Method: Simmering
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
Calories: 20
Sugar: 4g
Sodium: 120mg
Fat: 0g
Saturated Fat: 0g
Unsaturated Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 5g
Fiber: 0g
Protein: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg

Keywords: tomato ketchup, homemade ketchup, ketchup recipe, canning ketchup