Ingredients
- 1 kg ripe tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 120 ml apple cider vinegar
- 100 ml Québec maple syrup
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp celery seed
Method
- Simmer tomatoes, onion and garlic for 25 minutes until soft.
- Blend, then strain the purée into a saucepan.
- Add vinegar, maple syrup, salt and spices; simmer uncovered for 35–45 minutes until thick.
- Taste, cool and refrigerate in a clean jar.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 100 g granulated sugar
Conversion used: Replace 100 g sugar with 100 ml maple syrup; reduce the vinegar by 20 ml to offset the syrup's liquid, with no oven adjustment needed.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Maple gives ketchup a rounded caramel note that complements tomato and warm spices. It replaces refined sugar with a distinctly local Québec ingredient.
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 →