Chef Tom shows you how to make two delicious ketchups - classic and habanero. Make your burgers with the perfect condiment - homemade, fresh and full of flavor.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
- Toasting the whole coriander, peppercorns, and mustard seeds before cracking them builds a more aromatic pickling spice than adding those seeds raw would
- Wrapping the pickling spice in a cheesecloth sachet lets it flavor the simmering ketchup while staying easy to fish out and discard, rather than straining whole spices out of the finished sauce
- Charring the tomatoes and onion whole over hot coals before blending gives the habanero version a smoky depth the classic canned-tomato version doesn't have
- Simmering both versions down to the same reduced two-cup yield means either recipe finishes at a comparable thickness, so neither ends up thinner or runnier than the other
How to Make Ketchup
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Condiment
Cuisine
American
Servings
32
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Calories
19
Chef Tom shares two unique recipes for How to Make Ketchup; Classic Ketchup made from canned tomatoes and Fire Roasted Habanero Ketchup with fresh tomatoes and a fiery kick!
Ingredients
-
1 (28 oz) can Ciao Whole Peeled Italian Tomatoes
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 small yellow onion, chopped
-
1 tbsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tbsp pickling spice
- 2 lb tomatoes
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 small yellow onion
-
1 tbsp Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 3 habanero peppers, chopped
- 1 tbsp pickling spice
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
-
1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tbsp red chile flakes
- 1 tbsp allspice berries
- 1 tbsp whole cloves
- 1 tbsp juniper berries
- 1 tsp ground mace
- 1 small cinnamon stick, crushed
- 4 bay leaves, broken into pieces
For the Classic Ketchup:
For the Fire Roasted Habanero Ketchup:
Pickling Spice:
Directions
For the Pickling Spice:
Preheat a 12” Lodge cast iron skillet over medium heat. Toast the coriander, peppercorns and mustard seeds just until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Place the spices in a cloth napkin. Fold the napkin over the spices, and crack the spices by smashing them with a meat mallet, heavy skillet or rolling pin. Combine the toasted spices with the remaining spices. Store in a sealed container.
For the Classic Ketchup:
- Combine the Ciao Whole Peeled Italian Tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, onion, Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt and garlic in the pitcher of the Vitamix Blender. Blend until smooth. Transfer to an enameled dutch oven.
- Place the pickling spice on cheesecloth. Wrap the cheesecloth around the pickling spice and tie with kitchen twine. Add the sachet of pickling spice to the sauce.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer. Simmer until thickened and reduced down to two cups.
- Remove from the heat. Transfer the ketchup to a container and chill in the refrigerator.
For the Fire Roasted Habanero Ketchup:
- Light a charcoal chimney starter filled with lump charcoal. Let burn until red-hot. Dump the chimney into the charcoal grate of the Yoder Smokers Adjustable Flat Top Charcoal Grill. Slide a cooking grate over the charcoal and raise the charcoal to the highest setting to get it as close to the grate as possible.
- Place the whole tomatoes directly over the charcoal, as well as the onion quarter. Grill until charred on all sides. Remove from the grill.
- Place the charred tomatoes and onion in the pitcher of the Vitamix Blender, along with the vinegar, sugar, onion, Jacobsen Salt Co. Kosher Sea Salt, garlic and habaneros.
- Blend until smooth. Transfer to an enameled dutch oven.
- Place the pickling spice on cheesecloth. Wrap the cheesecloth around the pickling spice and tie with kitchen twine. Add the sachet of pickling spice to the sauce.
- Bring the sauce to a simmer. Simmer until thickened and reduced down to two cups.
- Remove from the heat. Transfer the ketchup to a container and chill in the refrigerator.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
Why toast the coriander, peppercorns, and mustard seeds before cracking them for the pickling spice?
Toasting them briefly in a dry skillet until fragrant releases more of their essential oils, building a more aromatic pickling spice than combining the same seeds raw with the rest of the blend.
Why wrap the pickling spice in a cheesecloth sachet instead of adding it loose to the pot?
Tying it into a sachet lets the whole spices flavor the ketchup as it simmers while staying easy to lift out and discard afterward, rather than needing to strain the finished sauce to remove loose spice pieces.
Why char the tomatoes and onion over hot coals for the habanero version instead of blending them raw like the classic version?
Charring them first builds a smoky depth into the habanero ketchup that the classic version, made from canned tomatoes, doesn't have — it's the main flavor difference between the two recipes.
Why simmer both ketchups down to the same two-cup yield?
Reducing each to the same volume means both finish at a comparable thickness, so neither the classic nor the habanero version ends up noticeably thinner or runnier than the other.
How long does homemade ketchup keep in the fridge?
Both versions should be transferred to a sealed container and refrigerated; like most homemade condiments without added preservatives, plan to use them within a few weeks rather than treating them as shelf-stable like store-bought ketchup.
How indoor-friendly is this recipe?
4 out of 5 — the classic version comes together entirely on the stovetop; a broiler or hot cast iron skillet can char the tomatoes and onion for the habanero version in place of live coals.
Recipe Highlights
Toasted pickling spice: Builds more aromatic flavor than using raw seeds.
Sachet-contained spice: Flavors the sauce without needing to strain it out later.
Charred base for the habanero version: Adds smoky depth the classic version doesn't have.
Matched reduction yield: Keeps both versions at a comparable thickness.
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Nutrition
Nutrition
- Nutrition Serving Size
- 2.44 oz
- per serving
- Calories
- 19
- Carbs
- 4 grams
- Protein
- grams
- Fat
- grams
- Sodium
- 202 milligrams
