Let’s Catch Up!

There is nothing more annoying than finding a recipe that claims to be from scratch, only to get halfway through its ingredient list and see the main ingredient is highly processed. (Actually, there is a lot more out there that is incredibly more annoying than this, but let’s just keep it in context.)

Nearly every homemade barbecue sauce recipe I’ve encountered, for example, has ketchup in it. Lots of it. To me this almost like saying, “You know what would make this homemade barbecue sauce taste more like barbecue sauce? If we added some barbecue sauce!” Ketchup is a different animal, yes, but it is not an individual element, it’s a concoction of many.  With a mysterious element that gives it and other sauces like it a glossiness and viscosity that do not occur naturally. I don’t like it.

I’ve decided to try making my own ketchup today, involving as many whole, natural, and local ingredients as are feasible.

Here’s what you need:  

1 large white onion, peeled and chopped
2 sticks of celery, chopped
1” piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1 medium-sized poblano pepper, deseeded and chopped
Olive oil to coat
1 teaspoon of coriander seeds
½ teaspoon of fennel seeds
½ teaspoon of mustard seeds
¼ teaspoon of whole allspice berries
1 dried chile (about 3”) stemmed, de-seeded, and torn into pieces
freshly ground black pepper, or pepper mélange
sea salt
2½ pounds of mixed cherry tomatoes, chopped
10 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tablespoons of fresh basil leaves
¾ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup soft brown sugar
A tiny bit of ground cloves

Here’s what to do:

Place the first six ingredients in a large non-stick skillet and begin sautéing on medium heat. Put the allspice berries, dried chile, and coriander, fennel, and mustard seeds in spice grinder and coarsely grind. Mix into the skillet, along with ground pepper and salt to taste.

Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes until softened. Stir as needed. Add the tomatoes, thyme, and four cups of water.

Simmer until the tomatoes are soft, about 45 minutes. Cool completely.

Pour the mixture (you will probably need to do this in halves) into a blender, add fresh basil, and puree until smooth.

Push the pureed mix through a sieve twice. This makes a mess and requires a lot of extra dishes. Sorry, but it’s worth it.

Pour the sauce into a clean saucepot and add the vinegar and the sugar. At this point I tasted it and determined it needed just a little ground clove to complexify (not a word) its flavor. Sprinkle in just a couple of shakes—the equivalent of half a pinch.

Now, cook the sauce on medium or low heat and simmer until it reduces and thickens to a sauce-like consistency.

You can preserve it in jars, but you should use a pressure canner (not a simpler water bath canner). I have one and have used it, but it scares me a little, so I just put mine in a rubber-ring-sealed glass jar. It should stay fresh, if refrigerated, for 4-6 months. It will not stay fresh at all if you leave it on the counter. :/