Best Tomato Catsup Recipe

Ingredients

• 8 lb tomatoes
• 1 med onion
• minced
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. white vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp whole cloves
• 1 1/2 x inches stick cinnamon
• broken
• 1 tsp celery seed
• 4 tsp salt

Instructions

1. Wash, peel, remove stem ends and cores, and quarter tomatoes.
2. Let tomatoes stand in colander to drain off excess liquid.
3. In 8 to 10 quart.
4. kettle or possibly Dutch oven, mix tomatoes, onion and cayenne.
5. Bring to boiling; cook till tomatoes are soft, about 15 minutes., stirring occasionally.
6. Put tomatoes through food mill or possibly a coarse sieve; press to extract juice.
7. Add in sugar to tomato juice and return to kettle.
8. Bring to a boil; then simmer briskly 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
9. or possibly until mix is reduced by half (measure depth with ruler at start and end).
10. Meanwhile, in small saucepan combine next 4 ingredients.
11. Cover; bring mix to boiling.
12. Remove from heat; let stand.
13. Strain spiced vinegar mix into tomato sauce.
14. Throw away the spices.
15. Add in salt to mix; simmer until of desired consistency, about 30 min.
16. Stir the tomato catsup often.
17. Pour warm catsup into warm jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
18. Adjust lids.
19. Process in boiling water bath (pints) 10 min.
20. Makes 2 pints.