# ketchup vs. Tomato Paste



## mrdarby (Jan 28, 2013)

I have been trying to make my own sauce recently and wonder why so many people use ketchup instead of tomato paste. I like the Texas style the most and have many sauce I like, some i buy like Rudy's, and some I make using recipes from others. I would really like to just have my own and have messed around a bit trying to come up with the recipe. But there is always that question in the back of my mind. Anyone have an answer for me?


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## jirodriguez (Jan 28, 2013)

Probably due to texture and the sweetness. Tomato paste has a rather course thick texture that generally has to be watered down a bit and it can be a tad on the acidic side (tomato-ey tasting). Where ketchup has a smoother consitancy and is already mixed with sugars and vinegars that a lot of us put in sauces anyway.

You can make a great sauce with either one, and I sometimes will combine them depending on the type of sauce I am making. Another thing that a lot of folks need to discover or re-discover is dark mollasas - I find using mollasas over brown sugar can add such a nice depth and flavor to your BBQ sauce. I buy it by the gallon now... lol.


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## mrdarby (Jan 28, 2013)

Wow. I have seen molasses in some recipes but i don't remember them being used in place of brown sugar. I'll have to try that. Your answer of sugar and vinegar is part of why i asked the question. If we are adding the sugars and vinegars anyway, why not just use the paste. Your second sentence makes sense to me. Hopefully I can develop my own recipe down the road and answer these questions for someone else.

Thanks for the response.


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## pgsmoker64 (Jan 28, 2013)

J Rod steered you right.

Molasses is a key ingredient in brown sugar.  I use it in my BBQ sauce and get great reviews!!!

Good luck,

Bill


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## 1beezer (Jan 30, 2013)

In this case would you use the same measurement of molasses as the recipe calls for brown sugar?


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## mrdarby (Jan 30, 2013)

Good question. I have no idea. I would guess you would use less molasses than the brown sugar but I have always just used brown sugar.


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## jirodriguez (Jan 30, 2013)

1beezer said:


> In this case would you use the same measurement of molasses as the recipe calls for brown sugar?


Not always.... mollasses is a very strong flavor, so start small and taste as you go up. Make sure to heat the sauce with the mollases in it as you go, heating allow it to distribute the mollasses flavor a lot better and changes the taste profile a tad. Kind of mellows the mollases flavor a bit.

If you can't get the sauce sweet enough for your preferances with just mollases it is plenty OK to also add some sugar or honey - just keep in mind the more sugar in a sauce the easier it it turn have it burn instead of brown. Since I like to finish my ribs on a hot grill I try not to put to much suger in the sauce otherwise I mess up perfectly good ribs... lol.


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