If you’ve ever found yourself with more tomatoes than you know what to do with, homemade ketchup is a perfect way to put them to good use. Not only does it taste way better than anything from the store, but when you can it in a water bath canner, you’ll have a shelf-stable stash that lasts all year.

Homemade ketchup is easier than you might think. The acidity from the tomatoes (plus a little vinegar) makes it safe for water bath canning, and once you’ve sealed those jars, you’ve got a homemade condiment ready whenever you need it. No weird preservatives, no excess sugar—just real, rich tomato flavor.

Let’s walk through the process step by step, from simmering your ketchup down, the recipe will be next, to that perfect consistency to sealing it up for long-term storage.

Water bath canning ketchup is a straightforward process, but it does require careful attention to acidity and processing times to ensure a safe, shelf-stable product. Here’s how to do it:

What You’ll Need:

• Prepared ketchup (fully cooked and hot). Recipe is listed below.

• Mason jars (pint or half-pint) with new lids and rings

• Water bath canner (or a large pot with a rack)

• Jar lifter & canning funnel

• Clean cloths

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Prep Your Jars & Canner

• Wash jars, lids, and rings in hot, soapy water. Rinse well.

• Keep the jars hot by placing them in a pot of simmering water or in the dishwasher on a heated cycle.

• Fill your water bath canner halfway with water and bring it to a simmer while you prepare the ketchup.

2. Fill the Jars

• Using a funnel, ladle the hot ketchup into the hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

• Run a bubble remover or knife along the inside of the jar to release any trapped air.

• Wipe the rims with a clean, damp cloth to remove any residue.

• Place the lids on the jars and screw the rings on finger-tight (not too tight—air needs to escape during processing).

3. Process in the Water Bath

• Place jars into the canner using a jar lifter, ensuring they are fully submerged with at least 1-2 inches of water above the lids.

• Bring the water to a rolling boil, then start the processing time:

• Pints and half-pints: 15 minutes (adjust for altitude if needed—add 5 minutes for 1,000-3,000 feet, 10 minutes for 3,001-6,000 feet, etc.).

• Once time is up, turn off the heat and let jars sit in the water for 5 minutes before removing.

[convertful id=”220543″]

4. Cool & Store Your Homemade Ketchup

• Carefully lift jars out and place them on a towel-lined countertop.

• Let them cool undisturbed for 12-24 hours.

• Check seals: The lids should be concave and not pop when pressed.

• Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to one year. Any unsealed jars should go in the fridge and be used within a few weeks.

And that’s it! You’ve now got homemade, shelf-stable ketchup ready for burgers, fries, and everything in between.

Homemade Canned Ketchup

Course: homemaking

Prep time

32

minutes

Cooking time

4

hours 

A delicious homemade canned ketchup, perfect to use up all of those garden tomatoes.

Ingredients

• 5 lbs fresh or frozen and thawed tomatoes – cored and seeded

• 1 onion

• 3 cloves of fresh garlic

• 1/3 – 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup white vinegar

• 3/4 tbsp salt

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/4 tsp celery seed

• 1/4 tsp cloves

• 1/8 tsp ground mustard

• 1/8 cayenne pepper powder

• 1/8 black pepper

Directions

• Remove cores and seeds from tomatoes. You’ll need 5lbs after removing.
• Place tomatoes in large pot, add onion and garlic. Simmer for 1-2 hours stirring occasionally.
• Drain as much liquid as possible. Place the tomatoes, onion & garlic in a high speed blender until smooth as possible.
• This step is optional, but I find it gives the perfect smooth ketchup texture. Pour the blended mixture through a mesh strainer over a pot. Use a spatula to push the mixture through.
• Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil for a few minutes.
• After a few minutes, reduce to a simmer and stir occasionally for 2-3 hours, or until the desired thickness is reached.
• Return the ketchup to the blender and give the mixture a final blend to ensure maximum smoothness.
• Pour into half-pint or pint jars, wiping the rim with vinegar.
• Place lids and rings on finger tight.
• Process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. See note to adjust for altitude.

Notes

• Pints and half-pints: 15 minutes (adjust for altitude if needed—add 5 minutes for 1,000-3,000 feet, 10 minutes for 3,001-6,000 feet, etc.).

The post Homemade Canned Ketchup appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.

M great grandmother loved canning. I’m well versed in the food health and safety that surrounds canning food but she would can everything. From chicken, to simple jams – she was packing it all in jars.

I have made pickles this way for years and years. You do not need to water bath or pressure can and YES it is safe. Pickles are so high in acid from the vinegar that they will remain shelf stable for years. If the jars are sterilized, the brine being poured into the jars is hot, and the ingredients are washed and fresh – nothing will spoil.

I have attempted to water bath pickles before just for curiosity sake but it definitely takes away from the crunch of the pickle. The ice bath in addition to the alum is what keeps these pickles nice, fresh and crunchy.

Alum can be hard to find in stores sometimes. I just get mine shipped straight to my door. Get some here.

[convertful id=”220543″]

Great Grandmas Dilly Pickles

Recipe by Modern Homestead HavenCourse: Canning, SnackCuisine: Old School, American

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

My favorite ‘tried and true’ recipe that holds a special place in my heart.

Ingredients

• 4.5 cups water

• 1.5 cups pickling vinegar

• 1.5 tbsp pickling salt

• A pinch of Alum (optional)

• Fresh dill and dill heads

• 1.5 tbsp white sugar

Directions

• Sterilize canning jars with boiling water while you let your cucumbers (preferably small pickling cucumbers from the garden) sit in an ice bath.
• Once the jars are sterilized, pack them full of cucumbers, alum and dill – use as much dill as your heart desires. Each jar only needs a pinch of alum. Remember, this is optional.
• Add water, vinegar, salt and sugar to a sauce pan and stir until the granules are dissolved. Bring to a boil.
• Set all filled, prepared jars in the sink and place a canning funnel on the top of a jar. Setting them in the sink makes less of a mess. I have upgraded to a saucepan with a spout to make this process easier, but if you don’t have one – be prepared for a little mess.
• Remove the brine from the heat once it is boiling and immediately pour into a jar leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Wipe the rim with paper towel and place the seal and ring on immediately. Set the jar off to the side. Use oven mitts.
• Repeat on the remaining jars. If you need to place the pot back on the stove to bring to a boil again, that’s okay and I recommend doing it to ensure the brine is hot at possible when the jars are sealed.
• Leave the jars undisturbed for 24 hours on the counter. If they have all successfully sealed, you can remove the outer ring and store the jars in a dark, cool place.
• For best results, store for 1-3 months before consuming for best flavor.

Notes

• If one or two jars do not seal – that is completely normal. I just place them in the fridge and they’ll last for months and months. Make sure to wait a month or two before consuming to ensure the best flavor.
• The sugar is also optional but I think it gives a nice balance against the saltiness and the bite of the vinegar.
• If you don’t have access to fresh cucumbers or garden dill – THAT IS OKAY! Larger cucumbers can be chopped up and used the same way.

The post Great Grandmas Dilly Pickles appeared first on Modern Homestead Haven.