Easy Homemade Tomato Ketchup for Winter

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make tomato ketchup for winter? Gather the ingredients from the list. Less-than-perfect produce works just fine here — bruised tomatoes, undersized peppers. The only thing that matters is that the vegetables aren't old, limp, or sour and don't smell off. Everything else cooks itself out.

2. Step 2:

   

   Wash all the vegetables well under running water. Peel and rinse the onions. Trim away any bad spots if needed. No need to dry the vegetables — they're going into the pot anyway. The color of the bell peppers doesn't matter; pick whichever taste best and are juiciest — red, green, or yellow all work. If you'd like, toss in a hot chili pepper for a little kick.

3. Step 3:

   

   For cooking down this much produce, use a wide, deep pot. Cut the tomatoes, bell peppers, and onions into large chunks — quarters are fine. Seed and stem the peppers, and trim the stem ends off the tomatoes and onions.

4. Step 4:

   

   Put the chopped vegetables in the pot and add water — enough to cover them completely.

5. Step 5:

   

   Set the stove to low heat and cook the vegetables until they're falling apart. The tomatoes will split, and the peppers and onions will go soft — that's exactly what you want.

6. Step 6:

   

   Once the vegetables are well cooked and soft, press them through to remove the skins and tomato seeds. How do you know they're ready? When the contents of the pot look like a thick mush, it's time. First push them through a regular colander.

7. Step 7:

   

   Then use a sieve — the finer the sieve, the smoother and more delicate your ketchup will be. If you'd rather, you can purée it with an immersion blender instead.

8. Step 8:

   

   Return the purée to the pot, set it over low heat, and cook until it reaches the consistency you want — it took me about two hours, but yours may go faster or slower. Stir it from time to time. Near the end, add the salt, sugar, and dry spices to taste; taste and adjust as you see fit. Let it cook another 10 minutes, then stir in the vinegar and take it off the heat right away.

9. Step 9:

   

   Sterilize the glass jars however you like — over steam, in the oven, or in the microwave. I use the oven: for jars of about a quart or less, 10 minutes at a steady 250–300°F (120–150°C) is enough. Put the jars into an already-warm oven and start timing from there.

10. Step 10:

    

    Boil the metal lids in water for 10–15 minutes — keep them in the boiling water for at least 10 minutes; that part matters.

11. Step 11:

    

    Pour the hot ketchup into the prepared jars and seal them right away. Turn the jars upside down, cover with a warm blanket, and let cool completely. I sealed up small bottles as well as jars — they're handy for serving at the table.

12. Step 12:

    

    Store your homemade tomato ketchup in a dry, dark, cool spot, away from direct sunlight.