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Confession time:
I used to be completely scared of fermenting stuff. I wanted nothing to do with it.
I’m not sure if it was some of the rather unappetizing photos of fermented foods floating around online, or my secret fear that anything I would ferment would taste like dirty socks, but I avoided fermentation for quite a while.
Pretty sad, eh? A natural-food-loving-homesteader-person who didn’t ferment… Lame.
So what changed?
Cabbage.
I had cautiously had ventured into the world of homemade sauerkraut and was completely impressed with the results. I found myself not only tolerating the kraut, but actually craving the tangy flavor and smell. And considering how the Prairie Kids were literally begging for it with their lunches, I figured it was time to get a little cozier with this whole idea of fermented foods. Especially since it didn’t taste like dirty socks.
This homemade ketchup recipe has been a perfect baby-step in my DIY fermented journey. You’ll find it has a pleasant tang, without being overpowering or weird. In fact, I’d be surprised if the uninitiated could even tell it’s fermented at all. Plus, you’ll miss out on the lovely high fructose corn syrup in store-bought ketchup. Bingo. But first, a few notes:
Why Fermented Ketchup?
Fermenting foods adds probiotic benefit to them, and we all know how important good bacteria is for our gut. Additionally, the beneficial bacteria in a fermented ketchup recipe helps it to last longer in storage, which is a big benefit for me, since I usually don’t feel like making this ketchup recipe every week. And it tastes good. BAM. The bigger question here is: Why NOT fermented ketchup?
Why Start with Tomato Paste?
There are plenty of ketchup recipes out there showing you how to turn fresh tomatoes into ketchup, but I chose to start with paste to keep things simpler. You can use homemade tomato paste OR store-bought– it’s totally up to you. To be perfectly honest, since I usually have a limited supply of local tomatoes each year, I prefer to turn my good tomatoes into sauce, since it takes such a large quantity of tomatoes to make a small amount of homemade paste.
Why Use Airlocks for Fermenting?
Last year I started working with Matt fromFermentools , and he’s been incredibly helpful in helping me to overcome my ferment-phobia.
Can you make fermented foods without an airlock system? Yup. But airlocks make the process even more fool-proof (especially for beginners) by reducing the the chance of mold, and allowing the ferment to release gases without you having to “burp” it. There are a number of air lock systems out there, but I like the Fermentools system since it fits right onto mason jars so I don’t have to buy a bunch of special jars, and it makes it easy to make big batches.
Fermented Ketchup Recipe
Yield: Makes 1 pint, but can easily be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled.
- 2 (6oz) cans of tomato paste (I used this organic brand– affiliate link)OR 1.5 cups homemade tomato paste
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or raw honey
- 3 tablespoons raw vinegar (I used my homemade vinegar but this is a great option to purchase)
- 2 tablespoons whey OR brine from existing vegetable ferments*
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I love and use this salt)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
*If you are wanting the beneficial probiotics in fermented ketchup, the whey/brine cannot be omitted. Here’s how to make real whey (powdered whey will NOT work), or just skim some brine from an existing ferment. I used my sauerkraut brine, and it worked beautifully.
Combine all the ingredients, tasting and adjusting the seasonings as needed.
Place the ketchup in a pint-sized mason jar, and fit with an airlock or regular lid.
Allow the homemade ketchup to sit out at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you are using a regular lid, you’ll probably need to “burp” the ketchup every day or so to prevent a build up of gases. If you are using an airlock, you don’t have to worry about it.
Move the ketchup to the refrigerator for another three days.
Enjoy on homemade burgers, homemade hash browns, or my favorite– french fries fried in beef tallow.Or eat it with a spoon. I won’t tell.
Long-Term Storage: Fermented ketchup should last 3-6 months in your fridge. I haven’t tried freezing it, but considering how well other tomato products freeze, I imagine it would work just fine.
You could technically can it if you wanted, but the high temps of the canning process would kill all the beneficial bacteria, so you might as well not ferment it in the first place if you are going to can it.
Kitchen Notes:
- If you are wanting to make a non-fermented ketchup recipe, simply omit the whey/brine, mix all the other ingredients, and place in the refrigerator immediately. It won’t last as long in storage, but if you are eating it immediately, it should be OK.
- I highly recommend making more than one jar, especially during grilling season.
- This ketchup recipe is very thick, especially after the fermentation process. If you prefer your ketchup a little thinner, feel free to add 1-2 tablespoons of water before or after it’s done fermenting.
- The best part about homemade ketchup? You can completely tailor it to fit your unique taste preferences. As written, my family loves this recipe, but if your family likes spicier ketchup, you can easily adjust the seasonings. Other common additions include:cinnamon, clove, garlic, cayenne, and/or mustard powder.
Where to Buy Fermenting Stuff?
I’ve been totally impressed with my Fermentools equipment. Like I mentioned above, the air locks are designed to work with the mason jars you already have, so you don’t have to purchase specials jars (and can easily make BIG batches of ferments, like sauerkraut, at once). I also found their powdered salt pretty handy to have around– the chart on the front of the package makes it crazy-easy to figure out exactly how much salt you need for a brine.
Homemade Fermented Ketchup Recipe
- Author: The Prairie Homestead
- Yield: 1 pint 1x
- Category: Condiment
Ingredients
- 2 (6oz) cans of tomato paste OR 1.5 cups homemade tomato paste (like this)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup or raw honey
- 3 tablespoons raw vinegar (I used my homemade vinegar, but this is a great option to purchase)
- 2 tablespoons whey or brine from existing vegetable ferments*
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I use this one)
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon allspice
Instructions
- *If you are wanting the beneficial probiotics in fermented ketchup, the whey/brine cannot be omitted. Here’s how to make real whey (powdered whey will NOT work), or just skim some brine from an existing ferment. I used my sauerkraut brine, and it worked beautifully.
- Combine all the ingredients, tasting and adjusting the seasonings as needed.
- Place the ketchup in a pint-sized mason jar, and fit with an airlock or regular lid.
- Allow the homemade ketchup to sit out at room temperature for 2-3 days. If you are using a regular lid, you’ll probably need to “burp” the ketchup every day or so to prevent a build up of gases. If you are using an airlock, you don’t have to worry about it.
- Move the ketchup to the refrigerator for another three days.
- Enjoy on homemade burgers, homemade hash browns, or my favorite– french fries fried in beef tallow.
- Long-Term Storage: Fermented ketchup should last 3-6 months in your fridge. I haven’t tried freezing it, but considering how well other tomato products freeze, I imagine it would work just fine.
- You could technically can it if you wanted, but the high temps of the canning process would kill all the beneficial bacteria, so you might as well not ferment it in the first place then.
This post is sponsored by Fermentools, which means they sent me one of their air lock systems so I could try it out. However, like everything I promote here on The Prairie Homestead, I don’t promote it unless I’m actually using it and loving it, which is absolutely the case here.
More Fermented Food Recipes:
- Fermented Pickles Recipe
- How to Make Kimchi
- Fermented Rosehip Soda Recipe
- Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe
- Homemade sourdough bread
