Household Hints: Pre-warming Catsup

color=red]Household Hints: Pre-warming Catsup[/color]

Today, I was cooking up a hamburger patty made of some nice-looking chuck purchased from Mitsuwa; as I searched for the catsup, I found my favorite sauce, as usual, in the refrigerator.

Refrigerating catsup is largely unnecessary; being a kind of liquid pickle, it can keep for a relatively long-time at room temp. I encourage my family to leave the catsup out of the cold food closet, but if there's one thing I've learned during my 20+ years as pater familias, it's that there's only so much you can teach a house full of women and to listen to me is not one of them.

Cold catsup on a burger is bad, creating an unpleasantly cool frosting on the beefcake. So then it hit me: why not warm it up?! 10 seconds in the microwave did it, and I found that although the taste was not significantly enhanced, the feeling of eating warm condiment on hot meat was vastly better than the usual cold on hot.

When you try this at home, you obviously don't want to mic the whole catsup bottle; just tap off enough for the meal and heat it in a coffee cup.

David Hammond wrote:When you try this at home, you obviously don't want to mic the whole catsup bottle; just tap off enough for the meal and heat it in a coffee cup.

For such a small amount, you may want to try a ramekin, instead of the coffee cup.

Cheers,
Al

David

I have the same problem in my house, only with the hot sauce collection. No matter where I leave (or hide) the stuff it always ends up back in the fridge. Likewise with my wooden handled knives and cutting boards. Years of patient instruction, asking,even begging has gotten me nowhere and I find myself constantly rescuing these items from the destructive forces of the dishwasher.

Whats a guy to do?

JSM

It's an absolute must if you're putting salsa on eggs too.

David Hammond wrote:Refrigerating catsup is largely unnecessary; being a kind of liquid pickle, it can keep for a relatively long-time at room temp.

From the FAQ at the Heinz website:

Should ketchup be refrigerated?
Because it is a very acidic product, ketchup does not spoil easily. [Points to Hammond.] Once opened, in order to maintain the product's quality more effectively, we do suggest that ketchup (and any other processed food) be refrigerated after opening because refrigeration retards spoilage.

So apparantly ketchup/catsup doesn't need to be refrigerated, but you ought to refrigerate it, just to be safe. I shall continue refrigerating my ketchup. But I think anyone who posts here who is an inventor (of the gadget-catalogue, "lighted electric pepper grinder" stripe), should start working on some customised ketchup warming system/device, and pronto.

By the way, David, maybe you should let the ladies keep their bottle of ketchup in the refrigerator where they like it, and lay in your own stash of ketchup packets from McDonalds. Those definitely keep without refrigeration, and they are free for the asking!

JILS,

Okay, now I'm inspired to experiment; I'm going to keep a container of catsup in the refrigerator (like I have a choice) and one special container in the cupboard. I will periodically taste each and determine at what point I discern a difference in taste.

However, now that I have come upon the notion of warming catsup, I guess it doesn't matter where I keep it.

The idea of getting McD's catsup is a good one...also, it would give me a rationale for stopping by for a steak bagel (still on my to-do list).

Hammond

Excellent, I cannot wait to see the results. Sounds like the sort of inspired kitchen science Chef Cantu may be planning for us on Tuesday night. In the meantime, because I know you probably take a lot of crap for admitting you like catsup, you may take some consolation in this relatively recent article from the New Yorker, which basically declares Heinz Ketchup the perfect food:

Ketchup (really mustard) Article

JILS,

I actually read that article when it came out -- and I encourage others to take a look at it.

The theory of "amplitude" is especially interesting (particularly from the perspective of ion propulsion), and I seem to recall that one conclusion of the author was that the appeal of catsup is that it offers stimulation to most major taste sensors: sweet, sour, salty, umami. With that in mind, I guess is if you were to eat it with something bitter, your taste buds would explode in fully amplified bliss.

Perhaps I should read the article again, if for no other reason than to refresh myself for the continuing battle against those who refuse (yes, simply refuse, insanely, arrogantly) to admit they like catsup.

Hammond

JimInLoganSquare wrote:So apparantly ketchup/catsup doesn't need to be refrigerated, but you ought to refrigerate it, just to be safe. I shall continue refrigerating my ketchup. But I think anyone who posts here who is an inventor (of the gadget-catalogue, "lighted electric pepper grinder" stripe), should start working on some customised ketchup warming system/device, and pronto.

JILS,

So, just for the record, nowhere on the Heinz catsup bottle label does it say one should refrigerate it. I suppose, as with any pharmaceutical, one should google to check for side effects and contraindications, but the package insert gives no direction as to the need for cooling...and at this time of year, I'm guessing the ambient temperature is sufficient to keep the dosage good until spring.

Hammond

Well, in the interest of science, I can report that I'm 45 and have never refrigerated ketchup. The only side-effects I can report are that my hair turned grey and my doctor says I'm 20 lbs overweight.

On the hot sauce angle, some of the hot sauces I have actually DO say to refrigerate after opening. I try to avoid these and inspect the labels more carefully now.

JiLS wrote:But I think anyone who posts here who is an inventor (of the gadget-catalogue, "lighted electric pepper grinder" stripe), should start working on some customised ketchup warming system/device, and pronto.

In a sense this exists, if you consider dual purpose technology: baby food warmers. Instead of a ramekin, fill a baby food container with ketchup and slip it inside. This is your opportunity to buy strained apricots guilt free to make a jar available for your purposes.

Cathy, your highly practical solution unfortunately illustrates just why it is you will NEVER make it in the world of gadget marketing. Double use of an existing product? Are you insane?!? It's fine if the product YOU market has 1001 uses; but for Pete's sake, don't tell people how to get a new use out of something they already own! No, we need to take a babyfood warmer, paint it like a tomato and have special "Ketchup-Tainers" (exact dimensions of baby food jar, but perhaps made from an inferior grade of glass) created to go with it. The KetchupTainer would be "scientifically tested" in a "laboratory" to be the ideal container for warming up refrigerated ketchup in the safest, most hygienic way possible. (We'd throw in a couple of bottle brushes for cleaning them out.) Hammond can write the copy for the infomercial. Perhaps we could get an expert to opine on the hazards of ingesting cold ketchup (increased risk of "epiglottal inversion"; how's that sound?). Product names? How about "Catsuperior" or "CatSupreem"? Really, I like you Cathy, but here you show a real lack of strategic thinking.

JimInLoganSquare wrote:Cathy, your highly practical solution unfortunately illustrates just why it is you will NEVER make it in the world of gadget marketing. Double use of an existing product? Are you insane?!? It's fine if the product YOU market has 1001 uses; but for Pete's sake, don't tell people how to get a new use out of something they already own! No, we need to take a babyfood warmer, paint it like a tomato and have special "Ketchup-Tainers" (exact dimensions of baby food jar, but perhaps made from an inferior grade of glass) created to go with it. The KetchupTainer would be "scientifically tested" in a "laboratory" to be the ideal container for warming up refrigerated ketchup in the safest, most hygienic way possible. (We'd throw in a couple of bottle brushes for cleaning them out.) Hammond can write the copy for the infomercial. Perhaps we could get an expert to opine on the hazards of ingesting cold ketchup (increased risk of "epiglottal inversion"; how's that sound?). Product names? How about "Catsuperior" or "CatSupreem"? Really, I like you Cathy, but here you show a real lack of strategic thinking.

Eureka! I just found a way to remarket my old shaving creme heater/dispenser...ladies and gentlemen...meet the ketchup-a-tron.