There are no tomatoes in this ketchup. And it's much, much sweeter than your typical ketchup. It actually doesn't feel right to call it a ketchup at all, but that's what its creator called it.
I think of it more as a chutney than a ketchup, though according to The Deluxe Food Lover's Companion by Ron Herbst and Sharon Tyler Herbst, both are made in a similar manner:
Chutney is described as "a spicy condiment [that] contains fruit, vinegar, sugar and spices."
Ketchup, though most often made with tomatoes, "might have a base of anything from walnuts to mangoes to mushrooms. Vinegar gives ketchup its tang, while sugar, salt and spices contribute to the blend."
I first made this sweet-spicy sauce to go on leftover Easter ham. But I ran out of ham before I ran out of sauce. So I tried it on chicken. Delicious. Next I tried it on beef. Even better. Next I stirred it into fried rice as a stand-in for chunks of pineapple. Really, really good.
The tang from the vinegar means it doesn't make a great pancake topping or cake filling, but I imagine cutting back on the vinegar would fix that.
I used fresh pineapple -- they were on sale for 99 cents! -- but you could just as easily use frozen, or even canned in a pinch. Just be sure to thoroughly drain it and adjust the simmering time accordingly. If you want to use fresh, but you don't want to fool with peeling and coring the pineapple, many grocery stores have peeled, cored and cubed pineapple available in the produce section near the berries.
Pineapple Ketchup
1 pound, 2 ounces, peeled, cored and diced pineapple (about 1/2 a large pineapple)
1/2 cup sugar
Scant 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 red chile pepper, split
1 vanilla bean, split
20 black peppercorns
Pinch coarse salt
Combine all ingredients in a large nonreactive (stainless-steel, enameled or glass) pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes or until pineapple is very soft.
Remove and discard the chile pepper, vanilla bean and peppercorns. Transfer pineapple mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. If mixture is very thin, return to pot and simmer 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a lidded jar and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make about 1 1/2 cups.
Recipe adapted from Hog by Richard H. Turner
Food on 04/06/2016