Skip to content

Tomato Catsup

A historical recipe from Mary at the farm, and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans", by Thomas, Edith M. (Edith May) (1915).

No ratings yet

A historical recipe

Mary at the farm, and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans", by Thomas, Edith M. (Edith May) (1915). Project Gutenberg eBook #13545.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards. Its words name: home canning or sealing in jars, preserving or pickling. Check current food-safety guidance before following this.

United States

Known as an American recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

  • Home canning. Old canning methods can let botulism through. Use current tested canning guidance.
  • Preserving. Old preserving methods may not make food safe to keep. Use current tested guidance.

Ingredients 10 ingredients

  1. 1-1/2 peck ripe tomatoes
  2. one pint of vinegar
  3. 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  4. 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar
  5. 1-1/2 tablespoons salt
  6. 1 ounce of whole black pepper
  7. 1 ounce whole cloves
  8. 1 ounce allspice
  9. 1 ounce yellow mustard seed
  10. four large onions

Possible health benefits

General information, not medical advice.

  1. Tomato High in protein · Source of vitamin C

    High in protein · 1.2 g per 100 g, 21% of the energy from protein

    • Protein contributes to a growth in muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of muscle mass.
    • Protein contributes to the maintenance of normal bones.

    Source of vitamin C · 23 mg per 100 g, 29% of the reference intake per 100 g

    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of blood vessels.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of bones.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of cartilage.
    11 more authorised claims
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of gums.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of skin.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal collagen formation for the normal function of teeth.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal energy-yielding metabolism.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal functioning of the nervous system.
    • Vitamin C contributes to normal psychological function.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the protection of cells from oxidative stress.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue.
    • Vitamin C contributes to the regeneration of the reduced form of vitamin E.
    • Vitamin C increases iron absorption.

    Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is a water-soluble nutrient found in some foods. In the body, it acts as an antioxidant, helping to protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals. NIH fact sheet

    Nutrients per 100 g of “Tomatoes, green, raw”, USDA FoodData Central.

Claims: EU Register of health claims (Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, © European Union, CC BY 4.0), shown only where the ingredient meets the claim's conditions (Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006). Nutrients: USDA FoodData Central (CC0). Facts: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (public domain).

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. 1-1/2 peck ripe tomatoes, washed and cut in small pieces;
  2. also four large onions, sliced.
  3. Stew together until tender enough to mash through a fine sieve, reject seeds.
  4. This quantity of tomato juice should, when measured, be about four good quarts.
  5. Put tomato juice into a kettle on range, add one pint of vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1-1/2 tablespoons sugar, 1-1/2 tablespoons salt;
  6. place in a cheese cloth bag 1 ounce of whole black pepper, 1 ounce whole cloves, 1 ounce allspice, 1 ounce yellow mustard seed and add to catsup.
  7. Boil down one-half.
  8. Bottle and seal while boiling hot.
  9. Boil bottles and corks before bottling catsup.
  10. Pour melted sealing-wax over corks to make them air-tight, unless self-sealing bottles are used.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Saucepan
  • Chef's knife
  • Cutting board
  • Sieve
  • Kettle
Source Public domain in the USA
Credit

From Mary at the farm, and book of recipes compiled during her visit among the "Pennsylvania Germans", by Thomas, Edith M. (Edith May) (1915). Digitised by Project Gutenberg, eBook #13545 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13545). Public domain in the USA; its status may differ elsewhere.

What was changed: As printed, from the book's text; Project Gutenberg's header and licence removed. Ingredient lines were read out of the text by a program. A historical recipe, not current advice.