1940s Recipes + Menus

Green Tomato Ketchup

The Way We Cooked: Vintage Gourmet

September 1948
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Mix together in a large kettle 10 pounds green tomatoes, coarsely chopped, 10 green peppers, stems and seeds removed, then chopped, and 6 medium-sized onions, also chopped. Sprinkle the mixture with salt and let stand for a few hours. Drain off the liquid and place the vegetables in a large kettle with 6 cups vinegar, 1 tablespoon each powdered ginger, whole cloves, and peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon nutmeg. Let the mixture simmer gently until the vegetables are soft, then rub the mixture through a sieve. Place this purée in a clean kettle with 2 cups sugar (more or less, according to taste), 2 tablespoons dry mustard mixed into a smooth paste with a little vinegar, and more salt and pepper if needed. Simmer very slowly for another hour, adding a little vinegar if the ketchup looks too thick. Pour the ketchup into hot sterilized jars and seal at once. When cold, store the jars in a cool, dark, dry place.



This exclusive recipe is pulled directly from Gourmet’s archive. It has not been re-tested by our food editors since it was published in the magazine, but it's a pretty good indication of the kinds of things we once cooked—and ate—with great pleasure.

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