I have seen several recipes for making it - Google pulls them up - but they are not canning recipes. Just for freezing or fridge storage. Probably because the bananas themselves are so low acid at 5.2, all the corn syrup used and all the low-acid onions, garlic, peppers. It is basically a jar of low acid food with a tiny bit of tomato sauce added for color. :)

I fear it is one of those items that has so little demand that no formal lab testing would have been done on it to come up with an approved recipe.

Of course you can always freeze it.

Dave

Thanks Dave. I figured that might be the case but one can hope. :-)

I have canned banana ketchup using Helen Witty's Fancy Pantry recipe. It's my favorite.

Here's the link to the recipe:
http://www.recipecottage.com/preserving/ketchups02.html

Deborah

What does banana ketchup taste like? I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around it because it sounds like an odd combination.

Jill

I honestly don't know how to describe the flavor other than rich, hot and sweet. My foodie daughters tell me it's a natural with Caribbean foods.

I use it, however, with chili soaked chicken. I serve two condiments with this dish, Indonesian Ketchup and Banana Ketchup. Indonesian ketchup is comprised of molasses, brown sugar, natural soy sauce, ginger, etc. Both are smashing.

Deborah

Ok, Deborah, now we need recipes for the chicken and Indonesian Ketchup! Do you use the Witty recipe for the banana ketchup? Can you use frozen mushy bananas (I wouldn't can, just make a little to put in the fridge and try with the chicken to see if we liked it)?

Ajsmama, I believe you could use the frozen bananas, and yes I do use the Witty recipe for canning. The Indonesian Ketchup, though, is not a canning recipe.

Following is the recipe for Chile-Soaked Chicken with Indonesian Catsup from the book "Big Flavors of the Hot Sun" by Schlesinger and Willoughby (1994). I don't know if it is still in print, but it's worth acquiring used.

Serves 4 as a main entrée.

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup minced, fresh red or green chilies of your choice
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon freshly cracked pepper

In a large bowl combine all the ingredients, well mixed. Cover and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours.

Remove the chicken from the marinade (discard the marinade) and grill. Just before the chicken is done, brush with Indonesian Catsup. Serve the Catsup on the side.

Indonesian Catsup
1/2 cup of molasses
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
2 tablespoons freshly cracked black pepper

In a medium saucepan, bring all the ingredients to a boil, simmer for 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Will keep refrigerated for several months.

Deborah

I should point out that the authors recommend skewering 4 inch strips of the chicken before marinating. This way it can be used as an appetizer for 8 to 10 or as an entrée for 4. I've never done this. In fact, I don't always grill it. Sometimes I cook it hot and fast in a cast iron skillet.

This makes a great dish for company, since the catsups and marinade can be made well in advance.

Finally, here is one of the side dishes I serve with it. It's simple and delicious. From the same cookbook:

Coconut Rice
2 tablespoons oil
1 small yellow onion diced small
1 cup long grain rice
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup coconut milk (unsweetened)
salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. In a large sauté pan heat oil over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion and sauté, stirring frequently, till just transparent. Add the rice and continue to cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute. Add the stock and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, and add salt and pepper.
Cover the pan tightly, put in oven and bake 18 minutes. All the liquid should be absorbed and the rice cooked through, but not mushy.

That sounds delicious? What can I bring ;-)?

Seriously, I'm going to have to try this when Miss Picky is at Grandma's house, I think the rest of us are going to love it (and her brother will eat the 4th serving).

Deborah,
Thank you for the recipe.

We had a really good "ketchup" at a little hole-in-the-wall place to eat (I wouldn't even call it a restaurant) in Jamaica. One of the few highlights of the Cruise from He11.

I wonder...maybe it was banana ketchup? I couldn't figure out what it was, but it sure tasted great with the jerk chicken. Now I'll just have to try it.