Homemade Condiments: Recipes for Ketchup, Mustard and More

article image
Photo by Fotolia/ld1976
Making your own condiments is surprisingly easy and is a healthier alternative to store-bought versions.

Most of the condiments in the grocery store contain stabilizers, texturizers, preservatives and refined sweeteners (usually high-fructose corn syrup). That’s reason enough to make your own summer pantry staples. Reason No. 2? It’s surprisingly delightful to watch actual, real, recognizable foods such as tomatoes, cucumbers and eggs morph into luscious sauces worthy of your best summer barbecues.

Homemade Condiment Recipes

Homemade Ketchup recipe
Homemade Beer Mustard recipe
Homemade Coconut Oil Mayonnaise recipe
Homemade Sweet Pickle Relish recipe

Amalgamators 101

Onions, coriander and fish sauce are all amalgamators—they help other flavors come together. Coriander is one of only seven “amalgamating” spices in Ian Hemphill’s The Spice Bible, which features nearly 100 spices. (If you accidentally overseason something, you might be able to bring it back into balance by adding coriander.) Onions behave similarly, unifying flavors, especially contrasts of sweet, savory and spicy. Fish sauce provides the saltiness tomatoes love, but also injects an allover savoriness. Although the salty, fermented sauce smells like fish, it doesn’t end up tasting or smelling like it.

  • Published on Apr 8, 2014
Online Store Logo
Need Help? Call 1-800-456-6018
Free health and natural beauty tips from Mother Earth News!