Before mass commercial standardization, there were so many different kinds of ketchup, and apple ketchup was one of them.
Home canning allows you to experience a glimpse of the vast variety that has been lost.
This ketchup is delicious with pork, and curries.
Some user reviews:
“I made the best sandwich with the Apple Ketchup I’ve ever eaten: ham, cheddar, mayonnaise on multigrain bread with dollops of the Apple Ketchup. Perfection.” — Douglas Williams, author. Toronto.
“I tried the apple ketchup with a ham & cheese sandwich — very tasty!” — Paula Driedger, Leamington, Ontario.
Contents
The recipe
Jar size choices: Quarter-litre (1/2 US pint / 250 ml / 8 oz) OR half-litre (1 US pint / 500 ml/ 16 oz)
Processing method: Either water-bath or steam canning
Yield: 6 x quarter-litre (1/2 US pint / 250 ml) jars
Headspace: 2 cm (1/2 inch)
Processing time: 15 minutes either size jar
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Yield: 6 x quarter-litre (1/2 US pint) jars
Serving size: 2 tbsp
Calories: 27
Fat: 0

- 1 litre unsweetened apple sauce (1 US quart / 4 cups / 32 fl. oz)
- 350 g onion, minced (about 1¾ cup, finely minced. ¾ lb)
- 500 ml apple cider vinegar, 5% acidity or higher (2 cups / 16 oz)
- 150 g brown sugar (1 cup scant packed / 6 oz) OR 1 teaspoon liquid stevia
- 1 tablespoon salt OR 1 tablespoon salt sub
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger
- Combine everything in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. It should mound a bit on the spoon, as ketchup does.
- Pour into quarter-litre (1/2 US pint) or half-litre (US pint) jars.
- Leave 1 cm (1/4 inch) headspace.
- Debubble, adjust headspace.
- Wipe jar rims.
- Put lids on.
- Process in a water bath or steam canner.
- Process either size jars for 15 minutes; increase time as needed for your altitude.
- Best after at least a month of jar time.

Reference information
How to water bath process.
How to steam can.
When water-bath canning or steam canning, you must adjust the processing time for your altitude.
For salt substitute, Herbamare Sodium-Free was used.
For stevia, Better Stevia liquid stevia was the stevia used.
More information about Sugar and Salt-Free Canning in general.
Australia and New Zealand vinegar strength special notes.
Recipe notes
- You can just mince the onion in the food processor with the pulse button, if you like.
- For the fresh ginger, you can just use 1 teaspoon of minced ginger from a tube. You can also use 1/4 teaspoon ground instead.
- For additional flavouring, you may wish to try adding any or all of these: 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Recipe source
Ziedrich, Linda. The Joy of Pickling. Boston, Massachusetts: The Harvard Common Press. 2009. Page 353.
Modifications made:
- None
Safety check

pH of 3.5, tested 3 months after canning: 25 g solids, 50 ml distilled water. Well below upper safety cut-off of 4.6 pH
Nutrition information
Regular version
Per 2 tablespoons / 30 ml
- 27 calories, 150 mg sodium
Sugar and salt-free version
Per 2 tablespoons / 30 ml
- 15 calories, 1 mg sodium
- Weight Watchers PointsPlus®: 2 tablespoons: 0 points; 3 to 8 tablespoons: 1 point
* Nutrition info provided by http://caloriecount.about.com
* PointsPlus™ calculated by healthycanning.com. Not endorsed by Weight Watchers® International, Inc, which is the owner of the PointsPlus® registered trademark.
* Better Stevia ® is a registered trademark of the NOW Foods Company.
* Herbamare ® is a registered trademark of the A. Vogel Corporation.
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