Step-by-step recipes for making finger-licking good tomato and apple ketchup at home for the winter

Many housewives prefer to make their own ketchup rather than buy it. There are many different ways to prepare this tomato sauce. However, apple ketchup is a popular choice, and anyone can make it at home for the winter.

Preparing the main ingredient

Although ketchup is called apple ketchup, its main ingredient is tomatoes.

To make delicious and flavorful ketchup, you need to choose the right tomatoes. When choosing tomatoes, pay attention to their color.

It is recommended to choose fruits that are bright red in color, as they contain more lycopene and other beneficial microelements.

A delicious sauce can only be made from ripe tomatoes. To determine ripeness, carefully inspect the area around the stem. If it has a greenish tint, then such a fruit should not be selected for preserving ketchup.

You can also determine the ripeness of the fruit by touch. To do this, gently squeeze the tomatoes in your hand. Excessively firm tomatoes indicate they are not fully ripe.

Another indicator of tomato ripeness and freshness is their smell. Ripe tomatoes have a bright, pleasant aroma that's hard to miss.

After selecting the tomatoes for the sauce, they begin their preliminary preparation. All selected tomatoes are washed and soaked in water for several hours. The soaked tomatoes are placed in a colander and rinsed with clean, cool water 2-3 times.

Home cooking technologies

Making homemade ketchup without understanding the specifics of sauce preparation is quite difficult. Therefore, it's recommended to read the basic recipes in advance to help you properly preserve your food for the winter.

Classic recipe

To create a classic apple-flavored tomato sauce, use the following ingredients:

• a kilogram of fresh tomatoes;
• 600 grams of apples;
• 75 grams of salt and sugar;
• 20 grams of ground pepper;
• 150 ml of vinegar.

Making a tomato dressing for dishes begins with preparing the main ingredients. The apples and tomatoes are washed, cut into pieces, and cored. The ingredients are then ground in a meat grinder and poured into a cauldron. The thick mixture is boiled for half an hour, then covered with vinegar, salted, and simmered for another 5-10 minutes. The liquid is then poured into sterilized jars.

Thick Cinnamon Ketchup Recipe

Cinnamon, which many people use when preserving ketchup for the winter, helps add a rich flavor to the ketchup. The sauce is prepared using the following ingredients:

• 900 grams of juicy tomatoes;
• 750 grams of apples;
• head of garlic;
• 10 grams of ground cinnamon;
• 50 ml vinegar;
• 40 grams of sugar and salt.

The fruits and vegetables are separated from the seed heads and finely chopped. The chopped ingredients are then placed in a metal bowl and simmered for 35-40 minutes. Once the mixture boils, add the spices, sugar, and salt. After 15 minutes, add vinegar and 20 grams of hot pepper. The prepared sauce is poured into jars and sealed with lids.

With tomatoes

To make the sauce, you'll need at least 3-4 kilograms of plump, juicy tomatoes. Wash them thoroughly, cut them into four equal pieces, and place them in a cauldron. After preparing the tomatoes, chop 400 grams of apples, one onion, and a bell pepper. Place all the chopped ingredients in the container with the tomatoes.

Place the cauldron with the tomato-apple mixture on the stovetop and bring it to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, add 10 grams of allspice and cloves. The vegetable mixture is simmered for 20-30 minutes, then removed from the stove and poured into a canning container.

Apple cider vinegar-free

To make apple-tomato sauce without vinegar, you will need the following ingredients:

• one and a half kilograms of tomatoes;
• 800 grams of apples;
• 80 grams of sugar;
• 65 grams of salt;
• dry spices to taste;
• head of garlic.

First, wash the tomatoes and apples, chop them, and blend them. The resulting liquid is poured into a metal saucepan and brought to a boil. Then, add the spices, chopped garlic, salt, and sugar to the sauce. Stir for a few minutes and then pour into jars.

A quick way without sterilization

To preserve sauce without sterilization, you will need to familiarize yourself with the step-by-step preparation process.

First, five kilograms of ripe apples are washed to remove dust, peel, and core. Then, the fruit is diced and boiled in a pot of water. Once the apples have turned into a pulp, they are mixed with tomato paste, sugar, and vinegar. The resulting mixture is returned to the stovetop and simmered for an hour. The hot ketchup is poured into jars and sealed with hermetically sealed lids.

Finger-licking good

When harvesting ketchup for the winter according to this recipe use the following products:

• 1-3 kg of tomatoes;
• 700 grams of apples;
• 200 grams of onion;
• 80 grams of salt;
• 60 ml vinegar;
• ground pepper to taste.

The apples and tomatoes are cut into pieces and ground using a meat grinder. Then, the onion is peeled, sliced ​​into rings, and simmered with the fruit and vegetable mixture over low heat. Five to 10 minutes before the end of cooking, season with salt and pepper. The boiled liquid is poured into half-liter jars and stored in a cool place.

With onions and bell peppers

To make the ketchup more flavorful, several bell peppers are added. Besides peppers, the sauce is also made with:

• a kilogram of tomatoes;
• a kilogram of apples;
• three onion heads;
• 70 grams of granulated sugar and salt;
• 60 ml vinegar.

Peel the tomatoes and apples and puree them in a food processor. Then finely chop three bell peppers and an onion. Place the chopped vegetables in a saucepan, stir in the tomato liquid, and bring to a boil. Mix the vegetable mixture with vinegar, salt, and sugar and simmer for 1-2 hours. Then, pour it into jars and seal.

What dishes do you serve with apple ketchup?

Today, ketchup is considered an essential sauce, widely used in cooking. It's added to various dishes not only to enhance their flavor but also to enrich them with vitamins.

Apple-tomato sauce is used on hamburgers, sandwiches, and kebabs. Some prefer to serve it with grilled meats. However, ketchup is most often served with boiled potatoes, pasta, and grain dishes.

How to store it correctly and for how long

Ketchup, like many other winter preserves, should be stored in the most suitable conditions. Jars of the sauce are often kept in the cellar to prevent spoilage for several years. Apartment dwellers can store canned goods in the refrigerator or on the balcony. The main thing is that the temperature doesn't get too low.

Opened jars of ketchup shouldn't be stored for too long, as they spoil quickly. The maximum shelf life of opened cans is 6-7 days.

Conclusion

Apple-tomato sauce is considered a great addition to many dishes. To prepare it, familiarize yourself with the basic recipes for this winter preserve.