Homemade Ketchup
Skip the bottled stuff and learn how to make ketchup from scratch at home. This top-rated recipe is beloved for a number of reasons: It's incredibly easy (thanks to your trusty slow cooker), it's made with kitchen staples you likely already have on hand, and it's absolutely delicious.
Servings: 48 (Yield: 3 cups of ketchup)
Ingredients
- 2 (28oz) cans crushed tomatoes
- ½ cup water divided
- ⅔ cup white sugar
- ¾ cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1¾ tsp salt
- ⅛ tsp celery salt
- ⅛ tsp mustard powder
- ¼ tsp finely ground black pepper
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1 whole clove
Instructions
- Pour crushed tomatoes into slow cooker. Swirl ¼ cup water in each emptied can and pour into the slow cooker. Add sugar, vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, celery salt, mustard powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and whole clove; whisk to combine.
- In the slow cooker, cook on high, uncovered, until mixture is reduced by half and very thick, 10 to 12 hours. Stir every hour or so.
- Use an immersion blender for about 20 seconds to smooth the texture of the ketchup.
- Ladle ketchup into a fine strainer and press mixture with the back of a ladle to strain out any skins and seeds.
- Transfer strained ketchup to a bowl. Cool completely.
- Taste and adjust salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper as desired.
Notes
For a thicker ketchup, leave the lid slightly ajar during the last hour to let more steam escape. For a thinner consistency, stir in up to ¼ cup hot water after blending.
For a smoother texture, strain twice or use a high-speed blender before cooling.