I recently was given 8 bottles of ketchup. What can I use them for? Perhaps I can make some type of tomato soup or something?
By Motherof5 from Brodhead, WI
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Can't you just save them and use as regular ketchup. There are times when I make sloppy joes that I use ketchup instead of sloppy joe stuff or tomato soup. When I do this I add a squirt of mustard, a squirt of worchestershire sauce, a spoonful of brown sugar, garlic poweder, parsley flakes, whatever.
My young people always liked their chili a little on the sweet side, so instead of adding brown sugar, I'd use a lot of catsup along with the meat, kidney beans, onions and seasonings.
Catsup is one of those condiments which has been cooked a long time in order to develop the good rich flavor, so that when added to other foods, you don't have to cook them as long in order to have a really good rich flavor to them.
Even if I don't add it now, my four children will add it to their bowls of chili when it's served. My grandies do the same thing.
Catsup is on my grocery list right now. Maybe the good fairy will drop off 7 bottles here. I hope, I hope, I hope. :-)
Catsup doesn't last very long around here, so I can't tell you about the extended shelf life beyond the USE BY DATE...
I also use a little catsup in spaghetti sauce, and when making BBQ sauce, and when making soups or stews. Not all of them, of course, but I have to admit that I do add some to most of them. We all enjoy the tomato-rich flavor.
Good Luck with using them up. You'll be learning new tricks.
Pookarina
I agree with redhatter, unopened ketchup keeps in the pantry one year.
You could also freeze it. I used to buy it in the giant can & pour into a washed bottle, then freeze the rest in plastic bags - it was always good when thawed.
You could make barbecue sauce or a large batch of meatloaf topping with it.
If you really can't use it you could give it to your local food pantry or soup kitchen. I've worked at both a food pantry & a soup kitchen. Since ketchup is a condiment & not a food item, ketchup was seldom available to give away. But when it was - it was always very much appreciated.
Lucky gal! You've now got base flavor for home made BBQ sauce you could make for Xmas gifts! Or make some relishes, toppings for meatloaf, stuffed cabbage, sweet onion sauce, the list goes on and on!
I always feel that when something is given to you as a gift, that is is nice to share some of it. Like a basket of apples, give a few away. So you could give a few bottles to a food bank or free meals center then keep the rest on your shelf. If the expiration date is approaching you can freeze it if it is in plastic bottles. Or, think of all the meals where you use ketchup and have those meals more often.
I make sloppy joes just with browned hamburger and Ketchup - brown beef add ketchup until quite moist then simmer uncovered. I add nothing else and only way my kids will eat them.
You can use it to make cocktail sauce. It doesn't have to only be used to dunk crab, lobster or shrimp but also fresh veggies like celery. Here's a link that has a lot of recipes using ketsup:
And here's my recipe for cocktail sauce that stays quite nicely for up to a month in the refrigerator (I usually make a triple batch):
Deeli's Cocktail Sauce
1/3 cup catsup
1 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tbls lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
Garlic salt
Tabasco sauce
Combine first five ingredients and then add garlic salt to taste and then add Tabasco sauce to taste.
You can substitute some ketchup for some of the tomatoes in tomato soup. Just make sure you then eliminate the sugar.
A quick and easy, inexpensive main dish is to cook macaroni, drain it, add ketchup, and stir a bit and reheat if needed.
Elegant shrimp cocktail. Best tasting is the simplest. Ketchup with a small spoon of horseradish mixed in. Add cooked shrimp, garnish and enjoy.
Have you tried using catsup straight from the bottle as a dip for potato chips? It's super yummy!
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