Lois Anne’s Tomato Ketchup
From a vintage recipe box found at an estate sale
As written on the card
Front
Tomatoe Ketchup - Lois Anne
1 c. white vinegar
1½ teas whole cloves
1½ teas coarsly broken cinnamon stick
1 teas celery seed
8 pounds (24) ripe tomatoes
2 cups water
1 T. instant minced onion
½ (?) teas. cayenne pepper
1 cup sugar
4 teas. salt
Back
Bring first 4 ingredients to boil and remove from heat. Scald and crush tomatoes. Put in Kettle with water, onion + cayenne. Bring to boil and cook 15 min. Put through mill. Combine + cook puree and sugar in Kettle, stir frequently, 45 min. or until reduced to ½. Strain vinegar, discarding spices and add with salt to tomatoes. Cook + stir constantly 30 min or until thick. Pour into jars + seal
Lois Anne’s Tomato Ketchup
A spiced homemade ketchup, from a card headed “Lois Anne”
Spiced Vinegar
- 1 cup white vinegar
- 1½ teaspoons whole cloves
- 1½ teaspoons coarsely broken cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon celery seed
Tomatoes
- 8 pounds (about 24) ripe tomatoes
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon instant minced onion
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 teaspoons salt
Method
- Spice the vinegar: Bring the vinegar, cloves, cinnamon and celery seed to a boil, then remove from heat and let stand.
- Cook the tomatoes: Scald and crush the tomatoes. Put them in a kettle with the water, onion and cayenne, bring to a boil and cook 15 minutes.
- Mill and reduce: Put the tomatoes through a food mill. Return the puree to the kettle with the sugar and cook, stirring often, about 45 minutes or until reduced by half.
- Finish: Strain the vinegar, discarding the spices, and add it with the salt to the tomatoes. Cook, stirring constantly, about 30 minutes or until thick.
- Jar: Pour into jars and seal.
As written: The cayenne amount is written as a stacked fraction that is hard to read; it is most likely ½ teaspoon (the same mark is used for “reduced to ½” on the back).
- Today’s home-canning guidance recommends processing filled jars in a boiling-water bath (and adding a little bottled lemon juice or citric acid to tomato products) instead of relying on sealing alone.
Recognize this handwriting or recipe? We’d love to know who wrote it.