Saltmarsh, I think your grandma and mine must have made very similar, but not quite identical, chili sauce.
I'm not sure, but I thought I saw somewhere a request not to post any non-federally tested recipes without a warning so . . .
CAUTION -- USE AT YOUR OWN RISK -- SAFETY NOT VERIFIED BY ANY OFFICIAL ENTITY -- AND NOT GUARANTEED BY ANY UNOFFICIAL ENTITY EITHER.
That said -- when the new info about safety came out in the '90s I hunted through the USDA tested recipes until I found one very similar in proportions of included foods to Grandma's recipe -- then used guidelines they had posted for modifying salsa recipes -- things like that it was ok to substitute one kind of pepper for another, as long as the pepper weight remained constant, and that it was ok to substitute bottled lemon juice for vinegar (but not the reverse), and that it was OK to alter flavor spices. These are the instructions I use for a 5 pint batch at 5300 ft altitude.
I do weigh all ingredients as specified.
Also, while I adapted the acid (vinegar and lemon juice) to meet their recipe proportion, I also pressure can (rather than use a water bath or other method) which should increase safety.
And I store the sealed canned jars in an extra refrigerator we have -- though I probably wouldn't do that if it weren't that I try to keep foods extra-safe for my 88 year old mother to eat.
BUT AGAIN -- SAFETY IS IMPORTANT, YOU HAVE TO INVESTIGATE AND DECIDE FOR YOURSELF IF YOU WANT TO USE THIS.
Updated Grandma's ketchup, makes about 5 pints
8 lbs ripe tomatoes
(All weights are peeled/trimmed weight)
3/4 lb onions (about two medium-large onions)
1/2 lb green peppers (about two medium-large green peppers)
3 oz Mexican peppers (about two 6 inch Anaheim peppers
(Anaheim or "New Mexico" or "long chili peppers" -- different names for the same thing, important point is milder than jalapeno)
1.5 cup vinegar (5%)
1.5 cup bottled lemon juice
3 cups sugar
2 TBS canning salt
1/2 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp ginger
1.5 tsp cinnamon
Wash tomatoes and dip in boiling water for 30 to 60 seconds or until skins split. Then dip in cold water, slip off skins, core, and quarter. Remove seeds from peppers and chop small. Peel and chop onions. Pour into a 1 gallon pan and heat. Boil gently 60 minutes, stirring frequently. Add vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and spices. Continue boiling and stirring until volume is reduced one-half and ketchup rounds up on a spoon with no separation of liquid and solids. Fill hot jars, leaving 1/8-inch headspace. Run plastic knife or spatula around jars to remove air, wipe jar rims, adjust (gently tighten) two piece lids.
5300 ft. altitude -- Process PINTS or smaller -- 25 minutes at 13 lbs pressure
Pressure canning with 18 qt. Presto canner
3 quarts boiling water in canner -- I usually let it heat while filling jars, if it begins boiling add a little more water to compensate for water lost
2 TBS white vinegar in canner -- keeps canner from getting discolored as much
Put jars on rack, align v's on lid and close lid
Turn up heat until steam vents freely, then vent ten minutes
Put on regulator, wait until pressure is 13 lbs (regulator rocks at 15 lbs -- is OK to use that pressure if desired)
Time 25 minutes -- usually can turn large burner down to about 4 or 5 and it will keep pressure up -- pressure must stay up entire time, or begin timing over again.
Turn off heat and let canner cool completely until pressure gauges all drop
Remove jars, let cool, remove rings, label jars
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