Oyster Ketchup is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic ketchup or condiment of oysters, sherry, oyster liquor, salt and spices pounded in a mace and passed through a fine-meshed sieve that's boiled before bottling. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Oyster Ketchup.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
OYSTER KETCHUP.
490. INGREDIENTS.—Sufficient oysters to fill a pint measure, 1 pint of sherry, 3 oz. of salt, 1 drachm of cayenne, 2 drachms of pounded mace.
Mode.—Procure the oysters very fresh, and open sufficient to fill a pint measure; save the liquor, and scald the oysters in it with the sherry; strain the oysters, and put them in a mortar with the salt, cayenne, and mace; pound the whole until reduced to a pulp, then add it to the liquor in which they were scalded; boil it again five minutes, and skim well; rub the whole through a sieve, and, when cold, bottle and cork closely. The corks should be sealed.
Seasonable from September to April.
Note.—Cider may be substituted for the sherry.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
enough oysters for the flesh to fill a 500ml jug
400ml sherry
75g sea salt
1 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp ground mace
Method:
Take very fresh oysters and open enough so that the flesh fills a 500ml jug (reserve the liquor). Strain the oysters, place the flesh in a pan with the sherry and bring just to a boil. Take off the heat and drain (reserve the liquid).
Transfer the oyster flesh to a mortar and pound with the salt, cayenne pepper and mace to form a pulp. Turn this pulp into a pan and combine with the oyster liquor and the sherry. Bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. Skim the surface then rub the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve. Pour into bottles, stopper tightly and store in the refrigerator. Use within a few weeks.
