tomato sauce/paste vs ketchup

[kevinv]

I did a bbq sauce a few weeks ago that floped big time. I substituted tomato paste for ketchup. It seem to have lost the tase it use to have. I guess that is because the spices from the ketchup were missing.

Now what do I have to add to get close to the same tase as ketchup? I am triing to get a nice thick bbq sauce from scratch without ketchup.

Thanks

[Peter]

I did a bbq sauce a few weeks ago that floped big time. I substituted tomato paste for ketchup. It seem to have lost the tase it use to have. I guess that is because the spices from the ketchup were missing.

Now what do I have to add to get close to the same tase as ketchup? I am triing to get a nice thick bbq sauce from scratch without ketchup.

Thanks

Add sugar - a lot of it! Ketchup is about 1/3 sugar. Tomato paste usually has none.

[kevinv]

I never thought of that. I will try more sugar next time.

Is there any way to thicken a ketchup based bbq sauce? I find them to thin. I may leave out some of the liquid next time to try.

Thanks

[Trev]

If you simmer it for a while that may dissipate some of the water and make it thicker, or use an agent like pectin to thicken it up a bit.

[kevinv]

I will give that a try. thanks.

[J.Shaft]

My wife isn't supposed to eat sugar so we make our own ketchup by reducing 100% tomato juice and adding honey for sweetness.
You'd be amazed how thick you can get tomato juice