Description
This homemade ketchup is a Heinz-style copycat made from fresh tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, tomato paste, and spices, then canned for long-term pantry storage. It offers a thick, tangy-sweet flavor with a classic ketchup texture.
Ingredients
7 quarts tomato juice (from ~22 lb fresh tomatoes)
4 cups white distilled vinegar
3 cups granulated sugar
5 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp onion powder
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp all-spice
½ tsp cayenne pepper
46 oz tomato paste
⅓ cup Thermflo (heaping), dissolved in 1 cup reserved tomato juice
Instructions
- Trim and quarter fresh tomatoes. Boil in a large stockpot until softened.
- Blend or strain through a food mill. Discard skins/seeds. Reserve 1 cup juice.
- Simmer tomato juice until reduced to one-third or one-half, about 2–3 hours.
- Add vinegar, tomato paste, sugar, salt, and all spices. Simmer until combined.
- Whisk Thermflo into reserved juice and add to ketchup, stirring to thicken evenly.
- Pour hot ketchup into sterilized jars, leaving headspace. Seal “finger-tight.”
- Process jars in boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and tighten lids fully.
- Let cool for 24 hours. Check for sealed lids before storing in pantry.
Notes
- Use canned tomato juice if fresh tomatoes aren’t available.
- Thermflo ensures smooth, thick consistency—sub cornstarch or simmer longer if needed.
- Adjust spices to taste for sweeter, tangier, or spicier ketchup.
- Cool sealed jars fully before storing. Refrigerate opened jars.
- Always discard any jars with popped lids or signs of spoilage.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 3 hours
- Category: Condiment
- Method: Canning
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 tbsp
- Calories: 15
- Sugar: 3g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 4g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
