Ketchup Made From Scratch: A Homestead Pantry Staple

There’s something so special about making a pantry staple from scratch and seeing the jars of it canned up and ready for the months ahead. 

Ketchup is one of those items we often take for granted, grabbing a bottle off the grocery store shelf without thinking twice. But once you try homemade ketchup, you’ll never look at store-bought the same way again!

This year, with our tomato harvests coming in strong (we are at over 70lbs of tomatoes harvested so far!!), I decided to try my hand at making & canning homemade ketchup! 

Freshly harvested 'Amish Paste' tomatoes, bursting with colour and flavour, ready to become homemade ketchup.

The recipe I used was inspired by Living Traditions Homestead, but I adjusted it to fit our family’s needs; skipping apple cider vinegar since our oldest is allergic to apples, and tweaking the amounts to suit both our tastes and the number of jars I wanted stored on our canning shelves.

The result? A rich, tangy, perfectly spiced ketchup that tastes far better than anything you’ll find at the store.

Twelve jars of homemade ketchup all sealed and ready. Yet another pantry staple made from our garden harvest!

The Recipe

10 lbs tomatoes

1 1/4 cups onion (about 1 medium onion, chopped)

3/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar (13 tbsp total)

1 1/4 cups white vinegar (You can make it half white vinegar & half apple cider vinegar if desired)

2 2/3 tbsp pickling/canning salt (8 tsp)  I recommend starting with less than half and tasting before adding more. We used just shy of 4 tsp for the entire batch.

1 scant tsp garlic powder (~1 tsp)

1/3 tsp black pepper

1/16 tsp celery seed (just a small pinch)

1/5 tsp mustard powder (a heaping pinch, just under 1/4 tsp)

How to Make It

Prepare the Tomatoes

Wash & cut your tomatoes in half, removing any blemished spots if necessary. You don’t need to peel or de-seed as they will get blended in a high powered blender. 

If you don't have one, consider running your blended tomatoes through a food mill for a smoother texture. 

Our Vitamix blender makes very quick work of eliminating the texture of any seeds and skins left in the mix, which I actually find add more of a robust flavour! 

Beautiful red and yellow paste tomatoes sliced and simmering down for our homemade ketchup.

Blend 

Blend in a high powered blender (see instruction #1 if you don't have one) and pour into a large cooking vessel (I used our large dutch oven).

Add Seasonings

Add all remaining ingredients and mix well.

Simmer

Let the mixture simmer gently, and uncovered until it thickens to a near ketchup consistency. Stir often to avoid scorching, especially along the bottom and sides of your pot. Be patient as this can take a couple of hours depending on how juicy your tomatoes are.

Our homemade ketchup simmering to the perfect thickness. 

Blend

You are now going to blend one last time. Be extremely careful as the ketchup is very hot. If hesitant, let it cool to a warm temperature first (but don't allow it to fully cool). 

Blend thoroughly to gain that extra smooth ketchup texture that we are all accustomed to with store bought ketchup. 

The final result - a thick, smooth, and perfectly spiced homemade ketchup ready to enjoy!

Texture, Taste and Adjust

Give your ketchup a taste test. If the texture is still too thin, place it back on the cooktop and simmer for longer. Be sure to adjust the salt &/or sugar if needed to match your family’s preference. That's what I love so much about this recipe, you can make it as sweet, tangy or even spicy as you desire (I'm all for extra black pepper on my meals!!)

Canning Instructions

Once your ketchup has reached the perfect thickness & flavour, it’s ready to be canned for long term storage! 

Our homemade ketchup, fresh from the canner, cooling on the deck and ready for storage.

Fill jars 

Ladle hot ketchup into clean and warmed pint jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. 

*Canning fact - it is no longer "required" to sterilize your jars prior to filling *if* the recipe requires a processing time of 10 minutes or more AND contains high amounts of acidity (Ie/ vinegars, citric acid, lemon juice) &/or sugar. This includes waterbath & steam canning. More details can be found here.

Remove Bubbles & Wipe Rims 

Use a plastic utensil, chop stick or a bubble remover to stir and remove any bubbles within the jarred ketchup and then wipe rims clean with a damp cloth. 

Place Lids & Process 

Apply lids and bands, then process in a boiling water bath or steam canner for 15 minutes (for pints or smaller), being sure to adjust for altitude if needed. Altitude adjustment chart found here.

*Canning fact - Not all lids (seals) manufactures suggest preheating prior to placing on jars, like commonly done in years past. Be sure to read the manufactures directions. Linked here is Bernardin's FAQ. Bernardin is a very popular canning brand here in Canada. Click "canning" and read the first question asking "Should I preheat lids?"

After Processing 

Remove jars while avoiding any drastic temperature changes, which can lead to the jars cracking (an issue if canning outdoors in cold weather like we often do, or if your indoor space is heavily air conditioned). This isn't a step to be rushed. 

If temperature concerns are a possibility for you, let jars remain in the canner with it turned off, allowing them to slowly cool. It's sudden temperature shifts that can lead to distress. 

Set your jars on a towel if still hot when removing and listen for that satisfying ping as they seal! 

Once cooled, check seals, wash the jars, label, and store in a cool, dark place. 

Storage & Suggested Best Before

The USDA and Ball guidelines generally suggest 1 year as the quality window for home canned goods, though properly sealed jars are still safe beyond that. 

It's the flavour, colour, and texture are expected to start declining after that.

Always check the seal before using (lid concave, no flex when pressed).

If you see mould, fizzing, smell off-odours, or find a loose or unsealed lid, do not consume the food in any manner and discard it.

The Result

Our homemade ketchup joins the rest of our home-canned goods!

Homemade ketchup is tangy with a balanced sweetness and is full of rich tomato flavour. 

What I love the most is that it's thicker and more robust than store-bought, and I know exactly what went into it!

Canning up ketchup can be seen as a labor of love, but it’s one of those small homestead victories that feels extra rewarding. 

We’re now stocked up and ready to enjoy homegrown ketchup all year long! 

Until next time, 

Sarah & The Sunnyhill Homestead Family