• 9 lbs. ripe, red tomatoes
• 4 medium-sized yellow onions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 1 cup cider vinegar plus 2 to 3 Tbs. (optional)
• 1 tsp. whole allspice
• 1 tsp. whole cloves
• 5 sticks cinnamon, broken
• 1 tsp. celery seeds
• ½ tsp. dry mustard
• ⅛ to ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
• 4 Tbs. brown sugar
• 5 Tbs. honey
• 1 tsp. salt, or more to taste
1. Cut the tomatoes in quarters and purée them in a blender, in batches, together with the chopped onions and red pepper. Strain the purée through a coarse sieve to eliminate the tomato skins, and pour it into a large, enameled kettle.
2. Cook the mixture over a low flame, stirring often, until it has thickened considerably, possibly as long as 1 hour.
3. Wrap the allspice, cloves, cinnamon, and celery seeds in a piece of cheesecloth and put them in a small pot with the vinegar. Heat the vinegar and bag of spices together for about 30 minutes, then remove the bag of spices.
4. Add about ½ the spiced vinegar to the tomato mixture, stir it in, and taste. For a spicier flavor, add a little more of the spiced vinegar. If it is already sufficiently spicy for you, just add 2 or 3 tablespoons of plain cider vinegar. This seasoning must be done to your taste. Then add the mustard, cayenne, sugar, honey, and salt.
5. Cook the mixture again, stirring often, until it has reached the consistency that you prefer for catsup. Time will vary, depending on what consistency you want, but it could take another hour. Taste it, and correct the seasoning if necessary. Pour into hot, sterile jars, and seal, leaving at least ½ inch of headroom.
6. Makes about 3 to 4 pints, depending on consistency of catsup.
