More from the family files

Annie was so sweet to comment yesterday..and she brought up a good point..it is important to preserve those family recipes AND write the stories that go with them for future generations.  So…in light of that..here is my Gramma’s recipe for homemade catsup.

  Now, I never met my grandmother because I was born when my parents were in their 40’s and she was long gone by then. But she was an amazing woman by all counts, raising 7 children on a farm in Michigan. She used to tie my Uncle, the oldest, to the clothesline to keep him out of trouble while she did chores.

  This catsup is yummy..and if you have never made it homemade you should. It is so much different from the bought kind. Right now, with tomatoes becomming ripe and plentiful it is an excellent time to try your hand at canning. This can be canned open kettle because of the acidity of the tomatoes and also the sugar content. You can also pressure can it if you want.  Check out the Ball Blue Book, or the Ball website for instructions on canning.

Gramma Vincent’s Tomato Catsup

1/2 bushel ripe tomatoes

1/2 dozen medium onions

  Cook and press through a seive. Let stand overnight and the next morning dip off the water that rises to the top. Place tomato mixture in a large kettle.

Add the following spices tied in a bag:

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp cloves

1/2 tsp mustard seed

1/2 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp all spice

 Add 5 cups of sugar and 1 qt vinegar, reserving one cup for later.

2 Tbs salt

1/4 tsp red pepper (more if a spicier product is desired.)

 Cook slowly 2 hours. Add remaining 1 c vinegar and continue cooking until thick (about 2 more hours). Stir often to keep from sticking. Remove spice pag and seal in sterilized pint jars.

  7 pints.

Note(from Gramma):

  I didn’t pour off the liquid, instead, after ingredients were added and cooked for one hour I dipped it off three or four times then boiled it down for more catsup.

Note from Marye: I didn’t follow that last bit..but I wanted to add it for posterity.