How to Make Ketchups and Sauces. Making Sauces and Ketchups at Home

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How to Make Sauces and Ketchups

Sauces and ketchups (catsup) are very similar although, generally, ketchups have a slightly thinner consistency than sauces. Sauces are rubbed through a sieve to give a smooth mixture and then cooked again until they are thick enough not to separate out on standing but will still pour – they thicken as they cool.

Ketchups are strained through a nylon jelly bag to produce a smooth puree before bottling. Both are made from similar ingredients to those used for chutneys, with the preparation and method also alike.

Equipment

A stainless steel or enamel-lined pan that is large enough to contain all the ingredients (if you’re also a big jam maker it may be well worth in investing in a preserving pan). Brass, copper or iron pans should not be used as they react with the vinegar and give a metallic flavour to the sauce/ketchup.
Long-handled wooden spoon
Sieve – preferably nylon or hair
Heatproof jug
Muslin or cotton squares – to tie up whole spices wanted for flavourings.
Scales – preferably dual marked in metric and imperial.
Chopping boards and stainless steel knife.
Heatproof jars or bottles. Preferably of smaller sizes as, generally, sauces and ketchups are used in small quantities. If large bottles are used, the contents will evaporate unless is used within one or two months.
Covers – these are most important. Vinegar corrodes metal, so use plastic screw or snap-on type or plastic preserving skin. Specialist preserving or bottling jars are suitable, either with screw-on or clip-on lid, providing the lid is made of glass. Corks are also commonly used.
Tongs for removing bottles after sterilizing.
Labels – For the front of the bottle/jars to identify the sauce/ketchup and the date made.

A suitable sieve is essential, though it is a lot easier to get the right consistency with an electric blender. However, if you use an electric blender, the contact with the metal blades tends to reduce the keeping qualities of the sauce.

Sterilizing

Sauces that are made from ingredients low in acid content, e.g. mushrooms and ripe tomatoes, have to be sterilized after bottling or they may ferment. To do this place the bottles in a deep container with a false bottom, making sure they do not touch each other or the sides of the container. This can be a purpose-built sterilizer complete with false bottom and thermometer, a large preserving pan or the base of a pressure cooker. What is essential is that it needs to be deep enough to contain a false bottom, a wooden or wire rack is ideal, and still hold enough water to completely cover the bottles. The bottles must not come into direct contact with the pan or they will crack.

If you are using corks, tie them down to prevent them blowing out during sterilizing. Screw tops should be tightened and then given a half turn back to loosen them slightly.

Add enough warm water to come up to the bottom of the corks or screw tops and then gradually bring the water up to 77ºC/170ºF and keep at this temperature for 30 minutes. If you’ve not got a sugar thermometer, raise the temperature slowly until there are tiny bubbles rising up from the bottom of pan and maintain at this stage for 30 minutes. In total it will take you about 1 ½ hours to complete the process. Use tongs to remove the bottles, tighten the screw tops or push in the corks.

General Information

If using corks, they should be new and boiled for 10 minutes or kept submerged in boiling water for 15 minutes before use. This not only sterilizes them but makes them easier to push into the bottle. Screw tops also benefit from sterilizing in this manner.

Once you have pushed a cork in and the sauce/ketchup has cooled down, the necks of the bottle should be dipped into melted paraffin wax to ½” (10 mm) to provide an airtight seal