Instant Pot Ketchup

So, in browsing Instant Pot recipes I happened on THIS recipe.  My biggest issue with the ketchup recipe I use is the cook time.  The IP version eliminates alot of that.  In addition, the two are actually fairly similar, after some recipe comparison I decided to try making my original ketchup recipe using the IP instructions.

I used the saute function to heat the oil and simmer the cloves, turned the IP back off, added the thawed tomates (the extra benefit here is the amount of liquid they produce when thawing means no smushing required to get the liquid level right), added the seasonings, set the IP and let it run.

(a note on the original recipe, though the first time I made it I bought a fresh onion and a can of tomato paste, since then I’ve used tomato powder +water for the paste, and onion powder for the onion.  I generally use frozen garlic from my garden, though once I used powdered garlic and hubby didn’t notice a difference)

After the pressure cycle I did a quick release, opened it, pulled the spice packet temporarily while I pureed everything with the stick blender, then put the spices back in and set it to slow cook – high.  I had to unplug it to run the stick blender, or I’d have just left it on keep warm, as the IP recipe implies.

The IP recipe says that it only needs to simmer there for 10 minutes to reduce by half.  Half an hour after setting it mine had barely reduced at all.  And not because it was plenty thick.  Now admittedly I didn’t use all paste tomatoes or the like, infact it was barely half paste tomatoes, and my recipe calls for a bit more vinegar, but I’d have expected to see a noticeable reduction in volume based on the description in the recipe.  This is not something a bit of cornstarch was going to fix.  I ran it through the food strainer and put it into a pot on the stove to simmer and reduce.

I had to simmer it for close to an hour to get the right consistency.  I might as well just have dirtied the pot in the first place.

Husband hasn’t had a chance to try it yet, I’ll add that in once he does.  But at this point I’m not impressed with the recipe.  Yes, I didn’t follow the ingredients word for word, but I’d have expected to see SOME reduction, and I basically saw none.