Ketchup or Catsup?
Whether you call it “ketchup” or “catsup,” it is still one of the most used condiments in the United States. Ketchup exploded in popularity alongside the 20th-century fast-food boom, becoming an essential companion to burgers and fries. Today, it is found in roughly 97% of American homes.
When you think of ketchup, you probably think of pouring it over fries, burgers, maybe even a steak, but ketchup is much more than a companion condiment. In fact, ketchup was initially used as a flavoring agent for soups, sauces, and more, long before becoming a prominent table fixture next to the salt and pepper shakers.
Ketchup originated in ancient China as a fermented fish sauce before evolving into the tomato-based condiment we know today. Around 300 BCE, texts in southern China recorded a salty, savory sauce made from fermented fish entrails, meat byproducts, and soybeans called ge-thcup or koe-cheup in the Southern Min dialect. The pungent, shelf-stable liquid spread along trade routes to Indonesia and the Philippines.
British and Dutch traders discovered the salty fish sauce in Southeast Asia during the early 1700s and brought samples back to Europe. Lacking the original ingredients, British cooks tried to mimic the savory depth using local substitutes. By the 18th century, “ketchup” became a catch-all term for various fermented or boiled-down savory syrups. Popular variations were made from mushrooms, walnuts, oysters, anchovies, and even stone fruits like peaches.
In 1812, Philadelphia scientist and horticulturist James Mease published the first recorded recipe for a tomato-based ketchup, using pulp from “love apples” (tomatoes), spices, and brandy. Early tomato ketchups were often watery, highly perishable, and stored in glass bottles or ceramic jugs.
In 1876, Henry J. Heinz introduced his famous Heinz Tomato Catsup, increasing the vinegar and sugar content to improve flavor, thickness, and natural preservation. Heinz pioneered transparent glass bottles so consumers could see the purity and quality of the red sauce inside.
In the 1800s, various spellings like catsup, ketchup, and catchup were used interchangeably. Before standard dictionaries took over, writers spelled it however it sounded.
The H. J. Heinz Company originally used “catsup” in the late 1800s, but switched to spelling it “ketchup” on their labels to stand out and signal product purity. Because Heinz became the dominant brand worldwide, their preferred spelling won out over catsup.
As a side note, McDonald’s stopped using Heinz ketchup in 2013 because Heinz hired Bernardo Hees as its new chief executive officer, who was the former CEO and vice chairman of rival Burger King. McDonald’s uses its own proprietary house-brand recipe and no longer partners with Heinz.
In recipes, you can substitute ketchup for tomato sauce using a 1:1 ratio, but you must adjust for extra sweetness and tang. To adjust the flavor and texture, omit or reduce any added sugar in your recipe because ketchup contains high amounts of sugar. Add a splash of water, low-sodium broth, or unsalted tomato paste to thin the thick, viscous texture of ketchup and tone down the vinegar. Mix in savory seasonings like garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, basil, or a dash of soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce to replace the missing herbal and savory notes of plain tomato sauce.
I don’t really like ketchup. I prefer mustard but that is another article.
Homemade Ketchup
Yield: 3 cups ketchup
Ingredients
2 (28 ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
½ cup water, divided
⅔ cup white sugar
¾ cup distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 ¾ teaspoons salt
⅛ teaspoon celery salt
⅛ teaspoon mustard powder
¼ teaspoon finely ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 whole spice clove
Instructions
Pour crushed tomatoes into slow cooker. Swirl 1/4 cup water in each emptied can and pour into the slow cooker. Add sugar, vinegar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, celery salt, mustard powder, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and whole clove; whisk to combine. Cook on High, uncovered, until mixture is reduced by half and very thick, 10 to 12 hours. Stir every hour or so. Use an immersion blender for about 20 seconds to smooth the texture of the ketchup. Ladle ketchup into a fine strainer and press mixture with the back of a ladle to strain out any skins and seeds. Transfer strained ketchup to a bowl. Cool completely. Taste and adjust salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper as desired.
Spaghetti Napolitan (Ketchup Spaghetti)
Ingredients
2 to 4 servings
Salt
8 ounces spaghetti
¼ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
Olive oil
2 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 small carrot, sliced
½ yellow or white onion, sliced
¼ green bell pepper, sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Radish sprouts or chopped parsley, for garnish
Instructions
Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions and drain. While the pasta cooks, in a small bowl, stir together the ketchup, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce and sugar and set aside. Heat a large skillet over high heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the bacon, garlic, carrot, onion and bell pepper and spread evenly. Cook, stirring once, until fragrant and starting to brown at the edges, about 1 minute. Cover with a lid and cook on low until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the drained pasta and ketchup mixture, then turn the heat to high. Toss to combine, adding small splashes of water to loosen the pasta if needed, and stir-fry until the sauce darkens a shade and starts to stick to the pan, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt and 10 turns of black pepper. Remove from heat and cover until ready to serve. Separately, heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium. Add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom, then crack in the eggs. When the whites start to set, add 2 tablespoons water around the eggs and cover with the lid you’ve been using for the pasta. Cook until the yolks are still jiggly but covered over with white, 1 to 2 minutes. Season with salt. Divide the spaghetti between two plates, then top each with a fried egg and garnish with the radish sprouts.
Spam and Ketchup Fried Rice
Ingredients
3 cups cooked rice, day-old and cold
1 can Spam
4 eggs
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons ketchup
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
Salt and pepper
Instructions
Cut the spam into small bite-size pieces. Crack the eggs into a bowl and season with salt and pepper. In a pan, add in spam, and sauté for 3-4 minutes or until spam becomes golden brown. Drizzle 1 tbsp of soy sauce into the pan, and mix everything. Push the spam to the side, and pour in the eggs. Let the eggs sit for 30 seconds before scrambling together. Add frozen vegetables, rice, the rest of the soy sauce, and ketchup. Turn the heat to high, and sauté on high heat for 3-4 minutes.
