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My husband loves ketchup so I am searching for a good homemade fermented recipe that he will like. He did NOT like the Nourishing Traditions cookbook version. I have modified a version I saw on the Nourishing and Nurtured blog.
My husband and toddler love this version! I increased the amount of honey in the recipe to ensure it was sweet enough. I even liked it and I don’t like ketchup. It is worth making vs. buying at the store – fermented means that it is has healthy probiotics so it is basically like eating yogurt with your fries or burger – really good for your digestion and belly!
Ingredients
- Three 7-oz jars/cans of tomato paste
- 1/3 cup raw honey
- 3 Tb raw apple cider vinegar
- 3 small garlic cloves, pressed
- 6 Tb sauerkraut juice (preferred) or whey (liquid whey from draining whole milk yogurt)
- 2 1/4 tsp finely ground salt
- pinch cayenne pepper
- Equipment needed: one fermenting jar
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a bowl (if using a quart mason jar, you can save on dirty dishes by mixing this up directly in the jar). Stir well to combine
- Ensure that the top of the ketchup is at least 1-inch below the top of the jar(s).
- Using a clean cloth or paper towel, wipe the top of the jar above the ketchup clean.
- Put lid on jar and leave at room temperature for 3 days; then transfer to the refrigerator.
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Further Reading from Around the Web
- What are Fermented Foods?
- 30 Day Fermented Foods Challenge
- Before Pepsi, Nitrates and Refrigerators…
- Deep Nutrition
More ketchup recipes here!
- Homemade Lacto-Fermented Ketchup
- Homemade Ketchup
- Almost Sugar-Free Ketchup
- Homemade French Fries and Ketchup
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Do you have any ideas how I could make this pareve? I love the idea but I want to be able to use ketchup on meat so the whey is out. Thanks!
Jenn B. I am new at this– Why is whey “out” if you want to use this ketchup on meat? Thanks!
Pareve means kosher. And if you keep kosher, you can’t mix meat and milk. (whey is from milk)
Use the sauerkraut juice in place of the whey. You just want an ingredient that will support the fermentation process…
I think you can use lemon juice instead and just add a little more salt so the fermentation process doesn't move too quickly.
The sauerkraut juice is where the lactic acid comes in to start the fermentation. Lemon juice will not do this.
What do you think of a dollop of organic black strap molasses for a BBQ flavour? I will have to try this recipe, thanks for sharing.
That sounds yummy!
ooh, and if you did a spicy paprika with it, holy yum.
In actuality, “Fermented” in foodstuffs refers to the process of converting sugar to alcohol or lactic acid. Aside from the vinegar and sauerkraut juice (produced by fementation), nothing here “ferments.” More generally, fermentation does not by iteself suggest the presence of probiotics.
I respectfully disagree with you, Tim. The lactobacilli introduced into the recipe would work upon the sugar in the tomatoes, honey, and garlic. Lactobacilli would also reproduce, increasing the amount of a very good probiotic. In general, fermentation is all about increasing levels of pre- and probiotics, unless the food is heated, which it generally is if it’s processed for a long shelf-life.
I’m thinking you could make this without the honey. Do you know if it would work?
Sure it would technically work. You could certainly do less or without depending on your taste buds preference!
Hello,
I can’t wait to try this recipe – can you tell me what size this canning jar is? What company sells them? I would really appreciate it.
Why can’t you use Kosher salt?
I am wondering the same thing.
While you technically can use it (it won’t kill the probiotics or anything), I don’t like to use that kind of salt because all the minerals are stripped out.
It also has anti caking chemicals added to it.
In these case Himalayan Pink salt would work as well, right?
Certainly!
This looks interesting. I’m guessing you can sub homemade paste for store bought paste ( I canned a bunch of paste). Also can you describe the flavor? If I added other spices it should also be OK? (Yes I realize it will change the flavors but I’m in love with parsley and paprika and cinnamon.) I’m so signing up to read more awesome recipes.
Hi Jessica! Yes please experiment with spices! I think cinnamon would lend a nice touch. I actually add turmeric too. I am not sure the parsley and paprika would add much. Maybe a spicy paprika? Yes you can use homemade tomato paste-all the better!
Isn’t this is a little misleading? The presence of honey, which is anti-bacterial, would kill the fermentation culture and prevent any further fermentation, right?
Mead.
Make sure you use refrigerated or homemade sauerkraut juice or it will have no viable good bacteria to ferment with. Check as to how your store bought sauerkraut was made. Canned will never do as the heat has killed the good bacteria.
Why not use San Marzano tomato paste? Would that not work?
Question….pressed garlic cloves? So do you just use the juice of the garlic?
No–I use the whole clove…just use a garlic press or mince it.
Thank you!!!!
Looks fabulous, better then mine but I’d so like to know how to preserve it! And for how long. It’s one of the default questions I seem to have
How long will this last in the fridge and can it be canned without killing the beneficial organisms? Or should it be frozen? I’d like to make a big batch at once. Thanks!
Fermented, it should last about a month but I would just use your nose on this one – I can’t really tell you. Not sure about the canning as I have not tried that. Let us know!
Great recipe! I am just learning all about fermentation, are those jars the only kind you can use for fermenting or can you use Ball mason jars and their lids or another kind of lid?
Thanks!
i love this recipe
Hi, would a recipe like this http://www.pickyourown.org/ketchup.htm be okay to ferment? Would I just add whey to it when finished or…? Thanks
Deanna,
I can only speak for my own recipe. That recipe looks very large. I don’t know how much of a starter culture for you would need to add. This recipe also contains sugar which may react differently with the starter cultures. My point is – I don’t know – sorry I can’t be of more assistance.
Thank you for this recipe, Whey for me too.
I would also like to thank all the helpful bods that bother to comment, and, add other ideas. I really enjoy them as part of my learning experience.
I get so much from you all.
Hello…I just picked the rest of my tomatoes….could I make paste and use it raw…or would it have to be cooked? Thanks!!
I don’t see why not – that sounds DIVINE!
How long will this keep for in the fridge? Thanks!!
I have kept it up to a month and then we usually run out. I think it would keep longer than that though.
I just tried this. It was tasty but the final result was no different at all from the original unfermented product. My sauerkraut juice was from a fresh batch of ripe, tasty kraut so that wasn’t the problem. Everything else was according to your recipe. So from my perspective, this is a nice recipe for ketchup but the fermented part is missing and I’m stumped if I know why.
How long did you let it sit out to ferment?
I let it sit out for three days (to the hour, LOL). I’m thinking that maybe that’s not enough time so I will try it again. It was in the kitchen, which is typically the warmest place in the house but it is winter so maybe that had a bearing on things. According to the thermometer I put next to it the average temp was 65F most of the time (it probably drops a bit during the night and goes somewhat higher during the day).
I bottled it into three separate bottles which I put in the refrigerator. Is there any reason why I couldn’t simply take one of these out and continue the process?
I just want to say you are awesome, keep posting i look forward to your food blogs.
Thank you!
I LOVE YOU!!!!!! (for this recipe)
I wanted to make some GAPS ketchup, but wanted to have shelf life. We are dairy free for now though. I love the idea of using sauerkraut (or possibly even pickle) juice as the fermentation starter. I’ve done some fermenting with just salt, but all of the recipes I’ve followed that use just salt to get fermentation going, winds up being overly salty, and I lose any flavor other than “salty”. I’ve been wanting to make some barbecue sauce, for some slow cooked ribs, but most of the recipes (even the GAPS ones) seem to start with ketchup.
Yay! So happy you love it!
Hi Lindsey,
am trying out many of your recipes – in this one and the mayo – do you close the lid fully? I always thought fermentation needed air?
Thanks in advance for helping – ketchup and mayo waiting for a reply 🙂
Cheers,
Christiane
I recommend using Fido jars – you do close them fully.
Hi,
Do you use a fermenting jar that lets excess air escape? You mentioned Fido Jars in one of the comments, but that seals…
Also, why is kraut juice preferred over whey? I have kefir whey I could use.
Thanks,
Heather cook
The Fido jars do let air escape. They do not explode. This is why I recommend them. You don’t even really need to burp them. They are fabulous. I just prefer the flavor of kraut juice in my ketchup. You can use whey or kefir whey!
Can this recipe be cut in half? Or will it mess with the fermentation process? I’d like to try it, but I’m not sure that my family will like it and I don’t want to make a whole bunch at first.
thanks for the recipe. do i need to do anything special to the jar or just wash it with soap and warm water? thanks!
Nope – nothing special!
Hello. I have been on a fermenting frenzy lately and I was just wondering if I can just use a tried and true real food ketchup recipe for this? Can you also tell me why sauerkraut juice is preferred? I have both, but whey is just so easy to come by in my house. Thanks. Love your blog.
I like the flavor of the sauerkraut juice better than the whey.
Your link to tomato paste in the recipe takes you to a different product on Amazon. What kind of tomato paste to you use?
Thanks for catching that – not sure what happened but I just fixed it! Enjoy!
I’m going to try this recipe this week
could I use plain yogurt instead of whey?
I can’t get sauerkraut juice or whey here :/
No I would not recommend this. You can easily make whey from plain yogurt. Rather do that by straining it and then make this recipe with the whey from the yogurt!
Ok
Thanx! 🙂
Looks absolutely delicious! The apple cider vinegar is a particularly intriguing choice!
can you use kefir for the lactic acid component?
how long will this store in the fridge?
can you use a regular mason jar with mason jar lid, or do you absolutely need the fermenting jar?
can you please e-mail me the responses because I might forget to check on here.
Thank you!