It’s Pioneer Days so what better than to make an old fashioned recipe for Catsup from 1846!
Originally, catsup was a condiment made from fermented fish used in Asian cooking. In the 1800s, lots of cooks produced various versions of catsup to flavor soup and meats. Meat was often sold at outdoor markets during this time period and tended to be on the more sour side — so to mask that taste, an assortment of condiments were used. We most likely would not eat meat like that today, and use condiments to add flavor instead of mask it.
In the 1830s, tomatoes as well as spices were considered medicinal so catsup was used as a digestive aid. To be honest, with cloves, nutmeg and mace that’s found in this recipe, I can understand how they might have used it medicinally.
Today we’re making Catsup from 1846. I have read this recipe several times as has my daughter and though they might have understood this type of recipe in that time, they leave a lot to question.
I have learned a bit about making this old fashioned recipe. If you’re looking for a giggle, keep reading — I share the mishaps further below!
The recipe (or receipt as it may be) comes from The Young Housekeeper’s Friend, a Guide to Domestic Economy and Comfort by Mrs. Mary Hooker Cornelius published in 1846 and published by Charles Tappan. Here is the original recipe:
Here’s the recipe again, published in The Young Housekeeper’s Friend by Mrs. Cornelius, 1859 published by Brown, Taggard and Chase.
Let’s get started!
The amount of tomatoes are not actually specified so we are going off of the basis of other catsup recipes. We are using 10-1/2 pounds of tomatoes. We bought these at the farmers market.
Cut an ‘X’ into the bottom of the tomato. Place tomatoes in a large bowl. Scald the tomatoes before trying to peel them. I poured boiling water over top, along with really hot water and let them sit for 30 minutes.
Here’s the tomatoes — the skin was just falling off – exactly what we want!
Peel the tomatoes.
Slice tomatoes and remove the inner core.
Boil for 1-1/2 hours, making sure to not scorch the tomatoes. Don’t ask me how I know this!!
Here’s the tomatoes — they reduced a bit more than I had anticipated!
Add mace, nutmeg, cloves, salt and horseradish. We are using prepared horseradish and ground spices.
Cook for 45 minutes. Add cayenne or a hot pepper. We added a cayenne pepper from our garden. Add red wine and vinegar. I also added lemon juice.
Bring to a boil and simmer until reduced further. The recipe says to cook until it’s reduced by a quart. I cut the recipe in half and reduced it a bit too much already, so I’m just going to cook until thickened and most liquid is gone.
I’m not sure what to think of the smell between the horseradish and sweet spices — I think we may have added too much horseradish! I reduced the recipe and figured out the measurements but I think I should have reduced it further. The spices also smell quite strong and I’m thinking we should have reduced the cloves and nutmeg — but I really wanted to stick close to the recipe to try it out a bit more authentically!
I tasted it and at this point, all I taste is cloves and nutmeg with a hint of horseradish. It almost tastes medicinal. I added a bit more salt, lemon juice, and another cayenne pepper that I sliced in half lengthwise.
I cooked it for another half an hour and tasted it again. I added a bit more wine and vinegar and a bit of sugar in hopes of balancing the cloves. At this point, the catsup has cooked for about two hours since we’ve added everything to it.
Next we are supposed to pour into bottles and leave sit for 3 days before corking it. We are not using bottles and I’ll be canning some of this in a water bath canning pot to hopefully allow it to last longer on the shelf in our winter pantry.
These jars are ready to be processed. Process for 15 minutes.
This jar will sit for 3 days. After I’ll place it in the fridge. I’m interested in seeing if it tastes different after sitting.
“Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.”
— Benjamin Franklin
The next day…
This has been a learning experience to say the least. It’s not often I cook 1800s recipes like catsup — a meal or dessert, yes, but something like this, no. And I’ve never made homemade ketchup before. Let me share what I have learned about my mishaps in making this recipe!!
First, it is already the next morning, and I just realized that perhaps the 1/4 ounce of cloves, nutmeg and mace might actually be whole spice which would have been common in the 1800s. That would give this an entirely different flavor and would have kept the tomatoes a more vibrant red than a brownish-color. A 1/4 ounce of whole cloves is about 6 to 8 whole cloves.
Of course the horseradish would be the root that was grated or minced fine as opposed to prepared horseradish but horseradish root is not very common and hard to find here.
I read this recipe so many times and did not think not to use ground spices. I have tasted it again now that it’s cold. It does taste different but the lingering clove flavor burning and numbing my tongue is not that desirable! <<insert giggling here>> I know how astringent cloves can be and yet again, we’ve added cloves like it’s fairy dust!!
I’ll definitely make this again and adjust to whole spice which will change the flavor I believe.
Here’s the original recipe and how we made it.
Catsup from 1846
Skin and slice the tomatoes, and boil them well. Then put to one gallon not strained, a quarter of an ounce of mace, the same of nutmegs and cloves, one handful of horseradish, two pods of red pepper, and salt as you like it. Boil it away to three quarts, and then add a pint of wine and half a pint of vinegar. Bottle it, and leave the bottles open two or three days, as it sometimes ferments a little; then cork it tight.
Version 1 — made September 4
10-1/2 pounds tomatoes, peeled and chopped
3/4 tsp ground mace
3/4 tsp ground cloves – in hindsight – TOO MUCH
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tbsp prepared horseradish
2 chili peppers
1-1/4 cups red wine
3/4 cup pickling vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup sugar to try to balance cloves but this is not needed
Scald tomatoes. Let sit 30 minutes. Peel. Chop tomatoes, removing inner core if there is. Place in pot. Cook 1-1/2 hours on low, stirring often as to not scorch. Add spices and horseradish. Cook 45 minutes. Add wine, vinegar, lemon juice and salt. Cook about one hour or until thickened and most liquid has been cooked out. Jar and let sit uncovered 3 days or process in water bath canner for 15 minutes.
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Version 2 — made November 8
I changed up this 1846 Catsup this time! And…the result!?! It’s amazing!! It is so delicious, I’ll definitely be using it as I would regular ketchup.
Instead of scalding and cooking the tomatoes like last time, I chopped them up and roasted them for about 4 hours. I just sliced the stem end off and chopped the tomatoes. No peeling, no removing seeds. I added one small onion to the tomatoes and salt and pepper. Once cooked, I let them cool completely and pureed them. I measured out 3-1/2 quarts and poured it into the pot. I added the spices, horseradish, hot peppers, salt and cooked it for one hour. Then I added the wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc) and pickling vinegar which made it quite thin, so I cooked it for an hour and 20 minutes, until slightly thickened. I added lemon juice to each jar and poured the catsup in. I left one jar to ferment on the counter for 3 days and processed the rest in a water bath canner for 15 minutes.
It turned out so much better this time, and kept the nice red color! The previous batch is quite medicinal in flavor and we will use it as such. When we feel under the weather, we will use the first batch of catsup as a herbal remedy.
1846 Catsup – Batch 2 — the batch that worked!!
3-1/2 quarts cooked and puréed tomatoes
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp plus 2 pinches nutmeg
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch ground ginger
2-1/2 tbsp prepared horseradish – garlic used 3 tbsp, but I think 2-1/2 tbsp would be best
2 chili peppers — I am using 2 Kitchen Lemon Peppers and one dried cayenne pepper
1 tsp pickling salt
1 cup wine — I’m using Sauvignon Blanc
3/4 cup pickling vinegar
1 tbsp lemon juice — in each jar
Directions as above.
Update — November 24, 2025
This catsup is amazing! It is definitely much better after it ferments on the counter for 3 days. It has a robust and tangy flavor. it does taste different than simply opening a canned jar. I had one jar that did not seal so I tasted it and it does taste different. So before I placed it in the fridge, I let it sit in the counter for 3 days, stirring it each day. It’s so good. Use it in meat, in sandwiches, or anyway you eat ketchup.
enjoy from Our City Homestead to yours