Banana Ketchup

Sweet, tangy, and perfectly spiced, this Banana Ketchup will have you rethinking your condiment habits from here on out.

This post is sponsored by the makers of Ball® home canning products.*

I regularly get questions about how to preserve bananas. In the past, my default answer was to guide people away from trying it. The reason? Bananas are low in acid and there’s long been a dearth of reliable, scientifically tested recipes employing them. However, things are changing. The makers of Ball® home canning products have recently added this canning safe recipe for banana ketchup to their library of preserves.

To make this sweet, zippy preserve, you need two cups of mashed banana (I needed four bananas to total this amount), 2 cups of chopped onion, 3 garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger, 1-2 birds eye chilis, 1 cup water, 3/4 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons tomato paste, 1 cup apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon allspice, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice.

You start by simmering the onion and garlic in 1/4 cup of water until they’re soft. While the aromatics cook, prepare a boiling water bath canner and 4 half pint jars. Wash your new lids and rings with warm, soapy water and set them aside so that they’re ready for you when you’re ready for them.

Then you add the rest of the ingredients and cook, stirring regularly, until it has thickened. This should take 15-20 minutes. And just a note here. Make sure to use a silicone spoon or a wooden spoon that you don’t mind dyeing a vibrant shade of yellow. Even though there’s only 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric in this recipe, it’s still potent enough to stain everything it comes into contact with.

Once the ketchup is done cooking, use an immersion blender to puree it smooth. Use canning tongs to remove a hot jar (I used Ball® Smooth Sided Half Pint Jars) from your prepared canner. Funnel the hot banana ketchup into the jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove the air bubbles. Wipe the rim, apply a clean, new lid and a ring and return the jar to the canner. Repeat this process with the remaining jars and ketchup. Process the sauce for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude if you live above 1,000 feet in elevation.

When the processing time is up, turn off the heat, remove the lid from the pot and let the jars stand in the pot for an additional five minutes (this allows them to cool more gradually, which helps prevent siphoning and should also help develop a more robust seal).

Remove the jars from the canner and set them on a folded kitchen towel. Let them sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours so they can fully cool and seal. Before storing, make sure to check that the seals are firm and unbending. Sealed jars are shelf stable up to 18 months, any unsealed jars should be refrigerated and used promptly.

My finished yield ended up being three half pints and a few spoonfuls that I popped into a 4 ounce jar and put in the fridge. This ketchup is delicious anywhere that you’d use the traditional tomato version. So far, I’ve enjoyed mine with roasted sweet potato wedges and spread onto a black bean burger.

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Banana Ketchup

Sweet, tangy, and perfectly spiced, Banana Ketchup will be your new favorite condiment.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Servings 3 half pints

Author Marisa McClellan

Ingredients

• 2 cups mashed bananas
• 1 large onion chopped (about 2 cups)
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1-2 bird's eye chilis chopped
• 1 cup water divided
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons bottled lemon juice

Instructions

• Saute onion and garlic in 1/4 cup of the water over medium heat until soft. Add remaining ingredients and cook at a simmer stirring continuously until thickened, about 15 minutes.
• Prepare boiling water bath while sauce is cooking. Heat jars in simmering water until ready to use, do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands.
• Puree until smooth using an immersion blender or in the bowl of a food processor.
• Ladle hot ketchup into a hot jar, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water bath canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
• Process jars for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seals, they should not flex when center is pressed.

*Disclosure: This is a sponsored post that is part of an ongoing partnership with the Fresh Preserving Division of Newell Brands. They have provided jars, equipment and monetary compensation. All thoughts and opinions expressed remain my own.

* This article was originally published here