Tomato Ketchup Recipe for Canning
The great tomato harvest continues at our place and after making 51 jars of salsa, and a winter’s worth of tomato bruschetta, I’ve moved onto condiments. I would have made a boatload of homemade tomato sauce this year, but we still have plenty in the pantry from last year.
If you’ve never made tomato ketchup from scratch before, holy cannolis you are missing out.
Try This Recipe!
Not only does this stuff taste 100 times better than anything you could possibly buy off the shelf, it’s packed with flavor AND you know exactly what went into it.
The key to making a good ketchup is patience. And while this particular type of recipe does need your constant attention while it boils down from a puree to a thick sauce, you’ll be rewarded in the end.
Trust me, slow and steady wins the race on this one. Remember that.
Seriously, once your friends and family try this, they’ll be begging you for some to take home.
I like to can mine in the Weck mini mold jars for individual portions, but 4 ounce jars or even pints work well too.
~ Mavis
Looking for more of my canning recipes? Head on over HERE. At least count I had over 90.
Tomato Ketchup Recipe for Canning
Ingredients
- 4 cups peeled, cored, chopped tomatoes
- 1 cup chopped onion
- ½ cup sweet red peppers
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 ½ teaspoons celery seed
- 1 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 ½ cups white vinegar
Instructions
Fill a hot water canner about 2/3 rds full with water and bring it to a boil.
Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in a saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.
Make sure you are starting with peeled tomatoes. If you don’t know how to peel tomatoes for canning, pop on over to my How to Peel Tomatoes tutorial real quick. It will make the process go more smoothly.
Combine the tomatoes, onions and peppers in a large heavy pot. Bring ingredients to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching and to let the vegetables soften a bit.
Puree the mixture using a food processor or food mill.
Cook the puree over medium high heat until thickened and reduced by half {this took 1 hour 15 minutes for me}.
Place cinnamon, all spice, mustard seed and celery seed in a spice bag and cinch tight. Add spice bag along with sugar, paprika and salt to the mixture and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often to prevent scorching.
Add vinegar and simmer until the sauce has thickened {about 20-30 minutes} making sure to stir often to prevent scorching.
Remove the spice bag.
Ladle ketchup immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/4 inch of tops. Remove any air bubbles.
Canning Tomato Ketchup
Wipe the jar rims and threads clean if needed. If using traditional canning jars, cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands on.
If using Weck jars, carefully place the Weck rubber gasket on the lid of the jars. Place the lid on the jar and secure the lid with 2 evenly spaced Weck clamps.
Place jars on an elevated rack in a hot water bath canner. Lower rack into canner. {Water must cover jars by 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.}
Cover; bring water to a boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. Cool jars for 12-24 hours.
After the jars have cooled, check the seals by pressing the middle of the lids with your finger. If lids spring back, lids are not sealed and refrigeration is necessary. {Traditional canning jars}.
For Weck jars, check to make sure your seal is pointing downwards.
Remove rings or clamps and store jars in a cool dark place.
Yields about {6} half pints or about {36} #080 Weck Mini Mold jars
Linda says
I am absolutely intrigued by this recipe and would love to try it! I’m beyond impressed by your neatly sewn spice bag too! I have one question- you said sweet red peppers, but I don’t see them anywhere in your photos. What kind of peppers? Red bell peppers?? Thanks!
Mavis Butterfield says
I used our Jimmy Nardello Italian peppers from the garden. They are our favorite peppers. 🙂 https://www.rareseeds.com/jimmy-nardello-italian-pepper
Linda says
Thanks! Can’t wait to try it!
Wendy says
When I make ketchup for canning, I cut the tomatoes into large pieces, seed and roast them with the skin on for 45 minutes at 400 degrees. I roast the peppers and onions too. Then everything goes into the blender until smooth, tomato skins and all. This removes a lot of the water from the tomatoes and gives everything a nice light char, so cooking down on the stove top doesn’t take so long and I don’t need to peel the tomatoes first. I do this for sauce too, which I freeze instead of can. I like the added flavor roasting gives the vegetables.
Aja in Iowa says
I do the exact same thing when I make salsa as well.
Mary says
Any idea if cherry tomatoes would work for this? I’ve got a boatload ripening and can’t eat them fast enough
Mavis Butterfield says
While I think “paste” type tomatoes would work best, if you have enough cherry tomatoes and cook them down, I don’t see why not.
Donna says
A crockpot is my best friend when it comes to making tomato jam, or paste. Leave the lid off and turn it on. No worries about it burning at the bottom.
RobininSoCal says
Do you label your jars in any way? I love those jars but before I go down that hole trying to figure out how to track the contents and age of the canned product other than creating a spreadsheet to track my canning by year. Thanks
Mavis Butterfield says
I’ve used labels and metallic sharpies in the past, but I can tell what’s in everything so this year I didn’t. 🙂
Robin in SoCal says
Thanks
Donna S says
Anyone else hearing about tomato product shortages due to severe drought in California and other western states?
Jen says
I live in Northern California about an hour from those tomato fields. Haven’t heard a peep about it.
Linda Harper says
I tried basil tomato soup this year (not a recipe with flour) and canned it. It is divine. I know you love tomato soup, Mavis!
joyce says
Mavis, have you ever made southern tomato preserves? They are wonderful and another way to use up tomatoes.
So good on biscuits, scones or whatever vehicle it takes to get them into your mouth.
Mavis Butterfield says
Yes, I’ve made tomato jame before and it’s wonderful. https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/savory-tomato-jam-recipe/
Jen says
Miss Mavis—are you sure you meant 36 mini mold jars is the same as 6 half Pint/8oz jars? Mini molds are 5-ish oz each I think. So 36 minutes pile be about 180oz?
Mavis Butterfield says
Yep. 🙂
As the recipe notes state, I used the #080 Weck jars which if filled to the tippy top {which I don’t do} they would hold 2.7 ounces. Weck jar lids have inverted centers and I leave at least 1/4″ of headspace.
Taylor says
Mavis, this recipe looks wonderful. Could you clarify what you mean when you wrote “on Weck Jars, make sure the seal is pointing down wards”. I am canning with Weck jars this year and I didn’t understand that part. Thank you!
Mavis Butterfield says
In the first photo… See how the tab on the seal is pointing downward? That’s a good seal. I wrote more about how to use Weck Jars here also: https://www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com/how-to-use-weck-canning-jars/
Taylor says
Thank you Mavis! I’m so excited and now I’ll be using Weck jars exclusively because they are my favorite!!!!
Karen says
I’m excited to try this recipe! Could I use ground allspice instead of whole, and if so, how much? Many Thanks!
Mavis Butterfield says
Hi Karen,
I’ve only made the recipe as written.