Aux Fruit | French-Canadian Chunky Ketchup

I married into an amazing French-Canadian family almost fifteen years ago now, and that first Christmas when Ben and I were engaged I was introduced to my mother-in-law’s delicious tourtière (meat pie).

A few years ago, my husband and I started making our own tourtière. My mother-in-law has spoiled me with picking up this spice mix for us in Quebec:

I don’t know if this true everywhere, but we had the hardest time finding homemade ketchup in Ontario, so when we made tourtière here in Nova Scotia for Christmas, I didn’t even bother looking in the stores.

The one I really love I have only found in Quebec——let me know in the comments if you have found it anywhere else. It’s call Si-Bon Homestyle Fruits Chow-Chow Ketchup:

It’s been a year since I’ve had it, but I think the recipe below is a good imitation of Si-Bon Homestyle Fruits Chow-Chow Ketchup. If you have tried it, and my recipe, tell me what you think.

I’m not a big canner (I’ve only canned one time and with the help of my dear friend, Kathryn, so I didn’t want to do that this time). I just wanted enough home-style fruit ketchup for our three tourtières. I looked over some recipes, but in the end came up with my own version.

Without further ado, here’s the recipe (scroll down for a printable):

Aux Fruit | French-Canadian Chunky Ketchup

Ingredients:

• Two large, very ripe pears
• 1.5 Tbs pickling spice
• 6 roma tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbs vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 Tbs salt
• optional: 1 medium jalepeno

Method:

• Dice onion, tomatoes, peppers, jalapeno (if you’re adding it), pears and add to a large saucepan
• Add salt, sugar, and vinegar
• Put ½ Tbs pickling spices in a cheese clothe and add to the pot (Though this isn’t a recipe for canning, I did want to have a pickled flavour)
• Bring to a boil, then simmer for approximately 60 minutes.
• Cook and serve or refrigerate.

If you try it, let me know in the comments or tag me on social media!

Yield: 3 cups

Aux Fruit | French-Canadian Chunky Ketchup

Print

Goes great with tourtière (meat pie) other entrees. This is not a canning recipe but this recipe made enough to pair with three tourtières that my husband made over Christmas.

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 20 minutes

Ingredients

• Two large, very ripe pears
• 1.5 Tbs pickling spice
• 6 roma tomatoes
• 1 large onion
• 1 green pepper
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tbs vinegar
• 1/2 cup sugar (adjust to taste--my pears were very ripe and sweet)
• 1/2 Tbs salt
• optional: 1 medium jalepeno

Instructions

1. Dice onion, tomatoes, peppers, jalapeno (if you're adding it), pears and add to a large saucepan
2. Add salt, sugar, and vinegar
3. Put ½ Tbs pickling spices in a cheese clothe and add to the pot
4. Bring to a boil, then swimmer for approximately 60 minutes

Notes

Though this isn't a recipe for canning, I did want to have a pickled flavour.