Ingredients
- 1.5 kg ripe plums, pitted and chopped
- 250 ml Québec maple syrup
- 300 ml malt vinegar
- 150 g onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne
Method
- Combine plums, onions, garlic, vinegar, maple syrup, spices, and salt in a nonreactive pot.
- Simmer uncovered for 60 minutes until the plums collapse and the liquid is reduced by half.
- Blend until smooth, then simmer 15 to 20 minutes more until thick enough to mound on a spoon.
- Pour into hot sterilized jars, refrigerate, and use within 1 month.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 300 g granulated sugar
Conversion used: Replace 300 g sugar with 250 ml maple syrup and reduce the vinegar by 50 ml; the longer uncovered reduction supplies the traditional ketchup body. No oven step, so −15 °C does not apply.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Fruit ketchup is a traditional sweet-sour condiment, and maple harmonizes with plum, spice, and malt vinegar. The refrigerated format preserves its fresh flavor without implying an unsafe shelf-stable seal.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →