Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

rhubarb ketchup (catsup)

Recipe by
Heidi Hoerman
Hingham, MA

A great alternative for tomato ketchup. Sweet, tart, and slightly acidic, it goes well over meats and fish or as a dip for fries. This alternative ketchup is easy to make. For most of the preparation time, the mixture is simply steeping.

yield serving(s)
prep time 1 Hr 20 Min
cook time 10 Min
method Stove Top

Ingredients For rhubarb ketchup (catsup)

  • 3 c
    rhubarb, fresh or frozen, washed, ends removed, and cut in 1/2" dice (weight after dicing about 1 pound)
  • 1 c
    sugar
  • 1 md
    orange or two mandarin oranges
  • 1/3 c
    port wine or sweet sherry
  • 1/4 c
    red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp
    salt
  • 1/8 tsp
    chinese chile oil or other hot condiment to taste

How To Make rhubarb ketchup (catsup)

  • 1
    Combine diced rhubarb and sugar in a non-reactive saucepan.
  • 2
    Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the orange in as few large pieces as possible so it can be easily removed from the mix before blending. Alternatively, put small pieces of zest in a tea ball or bundle in cheesecloth to enable their later removal from the mixture.
  • 3
    Add the zest to the saucepan. Squeeze the juice of the orange(s) into the saucepan. Add the wine and vinegar.
  • 4
    Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to mix the ingredients and distribute the flavor of the zest. Boil and stir for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to steep 30 minutes.
  • 5
    Return the mixture to a slow boil and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring to mix the flavors and break up much of the rhubarb. The mixture will appear lumpy and stringy at this point. Set aside to cool a second 30 minutes.
  • 6
    Remove the zest from the mixture. Move the mixture to a blender. Add the salt and chili oil. Blend until smooth.
  • 7
    Serve still warm or cool. Store in the refrigerator or freeze. Freezes well, allow to thaw in the refrigerator.
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