To Make Wallnut Catchup

This recipe comes from Jane Webb's household manuscript, dated around 1725–1750, a period when English cookery was rich in preserving and flavoring techniques. Walnut ketchup, a dark, savory condiment, was a staple in Georgian kitchens and can be seen as a precursor to Worcestershire sauce. Unlike the tomato-based ketchup known today, these early ketchups took inspiration from Asian fermented sauces and incorporated nuts, mushrooms, or shellfish to add umami depth to meats and stews. In the eighteenth century, recipes such as this would showcase a cook’s skill at extractive cooking and preservation, crucial in a time with limited refrigeration. Ketchup matured in the bottle, developing a savory complexity prized at the dining tables of Georgian England.

Historically, cooks would bruise the walnuts using a large mortar and pestle or with a mallet on a board, then leave them to macerate in salt in ceramic or wooden pans. Once ready, the mixture would be pressed—often through a cloth or with a heavy press—to extract the flavorful liquid. Boiling was done over an open hearth in a heavy saucepan or kettle, and the resulting ketchup was strained through linen or muslin before bottling in stoneware or glass bottles, sealed with corks and wax.