Quebec ketchups scrutinized

In the wake of our test of ketchups sold by major brands, readers brought to our attention the various existing Quebec products. Here are four that stand out with radically different styles. To your fries!

Firebarns Ketchup

Founded in 2015 by two entrepreneurs from Quebec, Frank Ménard and Pierre-Olivier Drouin, the Lévis brand got its start with locally produced hot sauces. There is no doubt that the duo had to restrain themselves to avoid over-spicing their ketchup! Don’t worry, it’s not at all spicy, and even very sweet, the result of using honey and organic cane sugar to round off the condiment. For the rest, it is well balanced, tasty without overdoing the spices, rather salty, with a well-dosed vinegar and a classic texture. As a bonus, the friendly face of Barney, the English bulldog mascot of the producers, serves as the official logo on this plastic bottle with a shape inspired by that of Heinz. It is noted that among the four ketchups tested, this one has the lowest sugar level (2 g per 15 ml); in return, it contains the highest level of sodium (170 mg). One of our favourites.

$5.99 for 500ml

ketchup mine

The ketchup mine was dug in Padoue, a small village in Bas-Saint-Laurent, no later than last summer. Launched by Guillaume Paradis, it offers various sauces, including a ketchup that stands out quite clearly. Here, the notes of acidity are brought by a cider vinegar which gives a very particular accent to the whole, rounded off by a pleasant sweetness (4 g). Sodium, on the other hand, displays 140 mg. No doubt, there is “oumpf” in this beautiful glass bottle. The product is also more liquid than its counterparts, with an appetizing glowing hue. For the record, the name of the brand is inspired by miners from La Mitis (still in Bas-Saint-Laurent) who would have worked on a red ocher extraction site, and whose clothes tinted with this pigment attracted the teasing question, “Do you work in a ketchup mine?” »

$6 for 350ml

Maple ketchup

Produced on the family farm of Jean-Noël Morin and Denise Larivière, in Saint-Zacharie, in Chaudière-Appalaches, this maple ketchup aroused, let’s face it, some apprehensions before reaching our palates. It’s that the Quebec sap can be divine, but also cause bad turns when it is poorly controlled. The fears vanished at the first sip, the maple bringing its roundness while being rather discreet. In fact, it is rather the spices that take center stage, and especially the dominant clove. Onion powder also participates in the taste concert. It has character, and even a little air of the holiday season. The glass bottle has an attractive design, with a lumberjack in front of his maple grove. Finally, on the nutritional value side, the balance is interesting, with 4 g of sugar and 92 mg of sodium.

$7.50 for 350ml

Joe Beef Ketchup

From the range of products from the famous restaurant on rue Notre-Dame, this sauce is a reinterpretation of the homemade ketchup of yesteryear. Even if the label announces that the recipe is made up of “Joe Beef secret ingredients”, all you have to do is turn the bottle a quarter turn to consult the list. Alongside the classic elements, note the addition of sun-dried tomatoes, red peppers, garlic and lemon juice. As in the case of maple ketchup, the spices lead the dance, enhanced by a very subtle spicy touch. This is a far cry from the usual commercial condiment, and it’s a case of “make it or break it”, as some palates might find it odd. In the meantime, special mention for the control of sugar and sodium (respectively 3 g and 55 mg) and the rather nice design covering this glass bottle.

$8 for 340ml