Homemade Tomato Catsup

I found this recipe in an old 1970 vegetarian cookbook

• Ready In: 2 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 50
• Yields: 3 pints

Ingredients

• 9  lbs tomatoes
• 1  medium  size yellow onion, chopped
• 1  red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1  cup cider vinegar, plus 2 to 3 tablespoons
• 1  teaspoon whole allspice
• 1  teaspoon whole cloves
• 5  sticks cinnamon, broken
• 1  teaspoon celery seed
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1⁄8-1⁄4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4  tablespoons brown sugar
• 5  tablespoons honey
• 1  teaspoon salt (or to taste)

Directions

1. Cut the tomato's in quarters and puree them in a blender or food processor together with the chopped onion and bell pepper.
2. Strain the puree through a coarse sieve to eliminate the tomato skins.
3. Pour into a large non stick pot.
4. Cook the mixture on low stirring often until it has thickened considerable possibly as long as an 1 hour.
5. Wrap the allspice, cloves, cinnamon and celery seed in a cheesecloth and put them in a small pot with the vinegar.
6. Heat the vinegar and bag of spices together for about 30 min
7. Then remove the bag of spices.
8. Add about 1/2 the spiced vinegar to the tomato mixture
9. Stir it in and taste.
10. For a spicier flavor add a little more of the spiced vinegar.
11. If it is already sufficiently spiced for you.
12. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of plain cider vinegar. This seasoning must be done to your taste.
13. Then add the mustard, cayenne, sugar , honey and salt.
14. Cook the mixture again, stirring often until it has reached the consistency that you prefer for catsup.
15. The time will very depending on the consistency you want but it can take another hour or so.
16. Taste and correct the seasoning if necessary.
17. Pour into hot sterile jars and seal leaving 1/2 inch of headroom.
18. Makes 3 to 4 pints depending on consistency.