How to Make Your Own Catsup With Stevia

Catsup, also known as ketchup, often contains sugar, corn syrup or another sweetener. If you are eliminating or cutting down on the amount of sugar you consume, and you don't care for artificial sweeteners in your catsup, make some yourself using stevia, a natural sweetener. Stevia is derived from the leaves of Stevia rebaudiana, a native plant of Paraguay. It is about 300 times as sweet as table sugar, but has virtually no calories. Stevia is available as a powdered white extract in many chain supermarkets, as well as health food stores. It will serve as the sweetening ingredient in your homemade catsup.

Things You'll Need

• Saucepan with cover
• Whisk
• 20 oz. tomato puree
• 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• ¼ tsp. stevia extract powder
• ½ tsp. mustard powder
• ½ tsp. cinnamon powder
• ¼ tsp. onion powder
• 1/8 tsp. allspice
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. cayenne
• Jar with lid

Instructions

1. Pour the ingredients into a saucepan on a stove and bring the heat to medium. Everyone has different taste preferences, so if you don't like onions, for example, or if you prefer your catsup to be mild or spicier, adjust the ingredients. A basic catsup has tomatoes, vinegar, sugar or other sweetener (in this case, stevia) , onion, salt, cayenne and cinnamon.

2. Stir the mixture containing stevia with a whisk for a few minutes until it starts to bubble.

3. Reduce the heat to low, and put a lid on the saucepan. Tilt the lid slightly to let steam out.

4. Leave the catsup to simmer in the saucepan. Stir the mixture occasionally for about 30 minutes or until it reaches the thickness you desire.

5. You now have catsup with stevia as your sweetening ingredient. Pour the catsup into a 16-ounce glass jar and leave it out to cool to room temperature, then put a lid on it and place it in the refrigerator. Because there are no preservatives, use it up within two weeks.

References

• Exploratorium: A Brief History of Ketchup
• State University of New York at Buffalo: Ketchup and Salad Dressing
• Carrington College: Stevia

Resources

• Prairie Oak Publishing: Recipes with White Stevia Extract