Ketchup Canning
Makes 3 pints of ketchup
Ingredients:
8 lbs tomatoes cored and quartered (this is the weight of prepped tomatoes, purchase about 10 lbs to be sure you have enough)
1 cup chopped onion
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper or cayenne
½ cup sugar
1 ½ Tablespoons kosher or canning salt
1 Tablespoon celery seed
1 teaspoon whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1 cup cider vinegar
Directions:
Tie the celery seeds, cloves and cinnamon stick in a spice bag or square of cheesecloth.
In a small pan, bring the cider vinegar to a boil with the spice bag in it. Turn off the heat as soon as it boils and let steep for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large pot, bring the tomatoes, onions and cayenne (or red pepper) to a simmer. Stir frequently. Let simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove the spice bag from the vinegar. Add the vinegar to the tomatoes and let simmer for another 20-30 minutes until all of the vegetables are softened and the mixture has begun to thicken a little bit.
Working in batches, transfer mixture to a food mill and mill to a sauce. Alternatively, you can add the vegetables to a sieve over a bowl and press with the back of the spoon to extract the liquid.
Return the liquid to a saucepan and add the sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring consistently to prevent from sticking to the bottom. Reduce the heat and boil gently, continuing to stir occasionally, until the ketchup is reduced by ½ and has thickened to the consistency of commercial ketchup. This will take about 45 minutes.
If you are storing these in the refrigerator, they will keep for 1 month. They can be frozen and enjoyed for up to 6 months.
If processing these to be shelf stable, prepare the canner.
Ladle the hot ketchup into pint jars, leaving ½ inch headspace. Wipe rim and fasten the lid.
Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat from canner and allow to rest in the water bath for 5 minutes before removing.
Check the seals after 1 hour. Any that have not sealed, store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.