Best tomato catsup

2 Pints

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
1½ Inches stick cinnamon
1 cup White vinegar
1½ teaspoon Whole cloves
1 teaspoon Celery seed
8 pounds Tomatoes
1 medium Onion, chopped
¼ teaspoon Cayenne
1 cup Sugar

Directions

Break cinnamon. In saucepan combine cinnamon, vinegar, cloves and celery seed. Cover; bring to a boil. Remove from heat; let stand.

Wash and core tomatoes; quarter into large kettle. Add onion and cayenne. Bring to boil; cook 15 minutes, stirring often. Put tomatoes through food mill or coarse sieve. Add sugar to tomatoes.

SIMMER briskly till mixture is reduced to half (measure depth with wooden ruler at beginning and end), 1½ to 2 hours. Strain vinegar mixture into tomatoe mixture; discard spices. Stir in 4 ts. salt.

Simmer till of desired consistency, about 30 minutes; stir often.

Fill hot pint jars with hot tomato mixture to with ½ inch of top; wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Pprocess in boiling water bath 5 minutes (start counting time when water covering jars returns to boiling). Makes 2 pints.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens Heritage Cook Book, 1975

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