TEN TOMATO KETCHUP

Makes 4 cups (960 ml), enough to refill a squeeze bottle We love ketchup, and we’re willing to bet that you do too. But, do you know what the number two ingredient in most brands of ketchup is? SUGAR! Turns out, the companies that make ketchup don’t remove the seeds, since it is extra work. The seeds are yucky and bitter, which is why they need to use sugar to make it taste sweet. Even Fini didn’t think that was good idea, so he agreed to help us remove the seeds of a box of tomatoes. We got them on sale from our farmers’ market, and they were super ripe so that we could make our own ketchup without sugar or food color or wheat. When Cole tasted it for the first time he said, “Mmm, it tastes like tomatoes!” We think that’s just how it should taste . . . a little different but worth the time it takes to make it. It’s so fresh and healthy you really can put it on just about anything! INGREDIENTS • 10 ripe red tomatoes, about 8 cups (1920 ml)—the sweeter the variety the better (ask your farmer!) • 1 medium onion (not red), diced • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) lard • 2 tsp (10 ml) paprika • ½ tsp mustard powder • ¼ tsp ground cloves • 1 tsp (5 ml) salt • ¼ tsp pepper • ¼ C apple cider vinegar • 2 Tbsp (30 ml) coconut aminos INSTRUCTIONS AND HOW KIDS CAN HELP 1. Score a shallow X on the bottom of each tomato with a paring knife. 2. Place tomatoes in boiling water for 30 seconds. 3. Remove from boiling water and place into ice bath. 4. Peel off tomato skin, slice in half and remove seeds 5. In large pot over medium heat, sauté onions, garlic, and tomatoes in lard for 8 minutes or until onions start to turn translucent. 6. Add spices, salt, and pepper and simmer for 15 minutes. 7. Blend tomato mixture until smooth, then add back to the pot with onions. 8. Add vinegar and aminos and simmer on medium low for 30 minutes. 9. Add to jar or squeeze bottle and store in refrigerator.

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Ten tomato ketchup starts with, yes, ten real tomatoes — peeled, seeded, and simmered down with onion, garlic, lard, and paprika until the sauce is thick enough for a squeeze bottle. It tastes like actual tomatoes because there's nothing to hide: no sugar, no food coloring, no wheat, just ripe fruit sharpened with apple cider vinegar and coconut aminos.

Pro Tips

• Score a shallow X on each tomato's base, blanch 30 seconds, then shock in ice water — the skins slip right off, and peeling matters when there's no sugar to mask bitterness.
• Seed the tomatoes as the recipe says. Commercial ketchup skips this step and pays for it with sugar; you'll taste the difference clean seeds make.
• The sweeter the tomato variety, the better the ketchup — if you have a farmers' market, ask which is sweetest that week and buy ten.
• Use a plain yellow or white onion, not red; red onion tints the sauce muddy and fights the paprika's color.
• Blend only the tomato mixture, then return it to the pot with the onions, vinegar, and coconut aminos for the final 30-minute simmer — that reduction is what makes it squeeze-bottle thick.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I have to remove the tomato seeds?

Seeds are bitter — it's the exact reason store brands load their ketchup with sugar. Seed yours and the fruit's own sweetness carries the sauce.

Is this ketchup really sugar-free?

Yes. The sweetness comes entirely from ten ripe tomatoes, boosted by choosing a sweet variety; coconut aminos add savory depth in place of the usual sweeteners.

How long does homemade ketchup keep?

It's written for refrigerated storage — keep it in a jar or squeeze bottle in the fridge and use it up over a few weeks. This isn't a canning recipe.

What can I use instead of lard?

Any stable cooking fat you keep works for the sauté, but lard is the traditional choice here and carries the gentle meatiness the recipe was built around.

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