Lets talk Salsa!

[z_willus_d]

Here's the recipe for the latest salsa that I've made (many many quarts - so like 20x recipe qtys.) It's from a different branch of the book than what Brokenbar is promoting, but I think it's tasty and has its place. Make sure to use the
http://www.chow.com/recipes/10646-ersatz-papalote-salsa

Here's a link to another repeat of the recipe:
http://www.thepauperedchef.com/2008/...your-sals.html

I followed the suggestions from some of the commenters and included some Achiote Rojo using this homemade recipe sans garlic:
http://www.chow.com/recipes/10554-achiote-paste

or maybe this one:
http://www.thespicehouse.com/recipes...e-paste-recipe

Tasty stuff. Addictive!
-naysen

[JRinPA]

Originally Posted by brokenbar

Salsa
8 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeds removed, chopped and drained in colander for 6 hours.
2 cups chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
3 -5 peppers of your choice
6 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp pepper
1/8 cup sea salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup lime juice
16 oz. tomato sauce
16 oz tomato paste
Mix all ingredients except tomatoes and cilantro, bring to a boil, boil 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and cilantro pour into hot jars, water bath canner for 15 minutes for pints. I am at sea level.
Makes 6 pints


Up to 1000 ft. Processing time is 15 minutes.
1001 - 3000 ft. Increase processing time an extra 5 minutes to 20 minutes total.
3001 - 6000 ft. Increase processing time an extra 10 minutes to 25 minutes total.
6001 - 8000 ft. Increase processing time an extra 15 minutes to 30 minutes total.
8001 - 10,000 ft. Increase processing time an extra 20 minutes to 35 minutes total.

WHat is the proper headspace for this recipe? A quick answer would be great, thanks, we are halfway through 24 jars and I think only 3 of 6 popped on the first set.

[brokenbar]

!/2 inch is what I use...I have never had any problem either in Wyoming (above 4000) or in Mexico, sea level...

[JRinPA]

Thanks for posting. And thanks for the thread as well - all that enthusiasm convinced me to try it, even though we're not big salsa eaters.

They all seemed to seal overnight. This was my first time canning, and I was a little concerned when three of the first batch popped fairly early and three were still up at the time of my post. I used about 1/4" +. Our old ball book guide is from before salsa was popular in the US I guess; no mention of salsa anywhere. I was going with 1/4" for tomato purees and such.

After I posted here, I did an internet search and practically every salsa I found was 15 min water bath, and either 1/4" or 1/2", so I stopped worrying about it.

The salsa is pretty good. I left out the cilantro... We have a pot of it but the smell reminds me of those nasty asian stinkbugs that showed up ten years back. Sometimes I like it, but then I'll hit a hot spot of cilantro and want to gag. So I left it out altogether.

It turned out a little expensive having to buy canned sauce, paste, coleman fuel($5 for the ~1/2 gal used), and lime juice ($1.65/cup real lime). By my math it was $35 for the consumables + garden tomatoes to can 24 pints. I really don't think we'd like it as much with vinegar like the original Annie's. Each batch I made a little different hot pepper wise.

I'll keep my eyes open for a good pot to use on the stovetop. I love the idea of canning like this but it would go smoother to do it all inside.

JR

[brokenbar]

Originally Posted by JRinPA

Thanks for posting. And thanks for the thread as well - all that enthusiasm convinced me to try it, even though we're not big salsa eaters.

They all seemed to seal overnight. This was my first time canning, and I was a little concerned when three of the first batch popped fairly early and three were still up at the time of my post. I used about 1/4" +. Our old ball book guide is from before salsa was popular in the US I guess; no mention of salsa anywhere. I was going with 1/4" for tomato purees and such.

After I posted here, I did an internet search and practically every salsa I found was 15 min water bath, and either 1/4" or 1/2", so I stopped worrying about it.

The salsa is pretty good. I left out the cilantro... We have a pot of it but the smell reminds me of those nasty asian stinkbugs that showed up ten years back. Sometimes I like it, but then I'll hit a hot spot of cilantro and want to gag. So I left it out altogether.

It turned out a little expensive having to buy canned sauce, paste, coleman fuel($5 for the ~1/2 gal used), and lime juice ($1.65/cup real lime). By my math it was $35 for the consumables + garden tomatoes to can 24 pints. I really don't think we'd like it as much with vinegar like the original Annie's. Each batch I made a little different hot pepper wise.

I'll keep my eyes open for a good pot to use on the stovetop. I love the idea of canning like this but it would go smoother to do it all inside.

JR

Jr, I used to go to Costco and look for lime juice..I could buy a case for what 5 bottles would have cost me! Somebody else said Sams Club was way cheaper also... Same deal with paste/sauce...always on the lookout for "case lot" sales so that I would have it when i needed it!

I did not like the vinegar recipe at all...it overwhelmed the tomatoes and lacked any hint of freshness.

As you subsequently make this recipe, you will tweak it for what you prefer...some like it way hotter and others want almost no heat, some like more onions, etc.

I am glad you like it and I am sure it will become a favorite. It is a nice all-around salsa that most people seem to appreciate.

I forgot to add that about 3 years ago there was a world-wide shortage of lime juice...I ended up having to drive 90 miles to get any!

[JRinPA]

World wide shortage!? I don't remember that! Maybe that was the first time this recipe was posted? LOL

In a few days when the next picking gets ripe I'll make scaled down batch with some experiments. I made one full batch last week to test and that was pretty good. That was per recipe minus cilantro and for hot peppers it was 2 jalapeno, 2 cubanero and 2 "long hot" peppers. I tasted a piece of each pepper as I sliced them but they didn't seem hot at all. The batch came out fairly mild, but very tasty.

This week I stopped at a farm down on PA 23 (lancaster county, pa dutch country) and bought a quart of fresh habaneros for $2. Talk about a difference in heat! I cut a little up and put it in last week's and it was really good.

So for the canning, we bought the same peppers from last week at the store, but this shipment from the same grocery aisle was much livelier for all three of the above.
The mild from yesterday's cook is about the same as last week using 2 jalapeno, 1.5 cubanero, 1 long hot.
The medium was 3 jalapeno, 1.5 cubanero, 2 long hot, 1 habanero.
The hot was 1 jalapeno, 1 cubanero, 1 long hot, and 3 habanero.
The extra hot was 3 jalapeno, half a long hot, and 3 habanero. I marked it X HOT but we'll see.

[brokenbar]

Originally Posted by JRinPA

World wide shortage!? I don't remember that! Maybe that was the first time this recipe was posted? LOL

In a few days when the next picking gets ripe I'll make scaled down batch with some experiments. I made one full batch last week to test and that was pretty good. That was per recipe minus cilantro and for hot peppers it was 2 jalapeno, 2 cubanero and 2 "long hot" peppers. I tasted a piece of each pepper as I sliced them but they didn't seem hot at all. The batch came out fairly mild, but very tasty.

This week I stopped at a farm down on PA 23 (lancaster county, pa dutch country) and bought a quart of fresh habaneros for $2. Talk about a difference in heat! I cut a little up and put it in last week's and it was really good.

So for the canning, we bought the same peppers from last week at the store, but this shipment from the same grocery aisle was much livelier for all three of the above.
The mild from yesterday's cook is about the same as last week using 2 jalapeno, 1.5 cubanero, 1 long hot.
The medium was 3 jalapeno, 1.5 cubanero, 2 long hot, 1 habanero.
The hot was 1 jalapeno, 1 cubanero, 1 long hot, and 3 habanero.
The extra hot was 3 jalapeno, half a long hot, and 3 habanero. I marked it X HOT but we'll see.

My Husbands LOVES habaneros and adds a few fresh ones to my salsa when he opens a jar. Too hot for me...He (and others) always say they have a "fruity" flavor but how in the heck can you tell when you mouth is fried???

We use the basic salsa from the jar and sometimes mix in fresh tomatoes, sweet peppers, etc. and that is better than most fresh salsa I have eaten at restaurants. Felices comiendo! (Happy eating!)

[Patihum]

I've never tried canning salsa with lime juice instead of vinegar. Looking forward to trying the brokenbar salsa recipe this weekend.

The best salsa I put up this year had eight different kinds of peppers in it: Emerald Giant, Jalapeno M, Purple Jalapeno, Hungarian Wax, Numex Big Jim, Sweet Banana, Ancho San Luis and Red Marconi. I think each one added a little something to it. Probably would have added some of the Scotch Bonnets but they weren't ready when I did it. It was definitely colorful with all the different peppers in it.

[brokenbar]

Originally Posted by Patihum

I've never tried canning salsa with lime juice instead of vinegar. Looking forward to trying the brokenbar salsa recipe this weekend.

The best salsa I put up this year had eight different kinds of peppers in it: Emerald Giant, Jalapeno M, Purple Jalapeno, Hungarian Wax, Numex Big Jim, Sweet Banana, Ancho San Luis and Red Marconi. I think each one added a little something to it. Probably would have added some of the Scotch Bonnets but they weren't ready when I did it. It was definitely colorful with all the different peppers in it.

The lime juice totally changes the taste...makes it seem much more like fresh.I will bet your salsa was colorful! Scotch Bonnets...too darn hot for me but they are a beautiful plant that sets a ton of fruits.

I've been thinking about growing some heat-less habaneros next year. I was told they retain the flavor, but not the heat. I would add some jalapeno for a little heat. I love the hot stuff, but no one else in my family can handle the heat.

When I buy limes, I always go to one of the Mexican grocery stores. Their large limes are almost always priced ten for a dollar. I sometimes see the smaller key limes at twenty for a dollar. At Walmart and other grocery stores, the large limes are usually priced at three for a dollar. The pricing structure is usually the same for the large Jalapenos. I don't buy them when I have some growing in the garden, but if I want some in the winter for stuffing and baking, I will buy them. The Mexican grocery stores always have large piles of the largest jalapenos I've ever seen. I've tried to locate and grow the gigantic jalapenos in my garden, but I can't seem to even come close in size.

I've tried the bottled lemon juice in salsa instead of vinegar or fresh lime juice. I thought it was pretty good. Lime juice doesn't have quite the punch lemon juice has while vinegar always simply tastes like vinegar. I've acquired the habit of using fresh squeezed lime juice as a condiment on almost every meal we cook at home. It seems to brighten the flavors and add character to even flavorless vegetables and meats.

I watched a Latino lady in a good Mexican restaurant use lime slices in a unique way recently. Lime slices are usually served with authentic Mexican restaurant meals. She asked the server for a couple of extra slices. She then squeezed the juice over her hands and used it as a hand cleaner. I suppose it works.

Ted

Here is another salsa recipe. It is located near the bottom of the SSE webpage devoted to the 2013 tomato taste test winner. (Cherry Roma won the taste test. I grew them this summer and was totally unimpressed. They are smaller tiny, tiny, tiny tomatoes) They dry quickly while hanging on the vine in the high heat. They look similar to tiny raisins hanging on the vine.

http://blog.seedsavers.org/and-the-w...cf3e0-92189249

Ted

[brokenbar]

Originally Posted by tedln

I've been thinking about growing some heat-less habaneros next year. I was told they retain the flavor, but not the heat. I would add some jalapeno for a little heat. I love the hot stuff, but no one else in my family can handle the heat.

When I buy limes, I always go to one of the Mexican grocery stores. Their large limes are almost always priced ten for a dollar. I sometimes see the smaller key limes at twenty for a dollar. At Walmart and other grocery stores, the large limes are usually priced at three for a dollar. The pricing structure is usually the same for the large Jalapenos. I don't buy them when I have some growing in the garden, but if I want some in the winter for stuffing and baking, I will buy them. The Mexican grocery stores always have large piles of the largest jalapenos I've ever seen. I've tried to locate and grow the gigantic jalapenos in my garden, but I can't seem to even come close in size.

I've tried the bottled lemon juice in salsa instead of vinegar or fresh lime juice. I thought it was pretty good. Lime juice doesn't have quite the punch lemon juice has while vinegar always simply tastes like vinegar. I've acquired the habit of using fresh squeezed lime juice as a condiment on almost every meal we cook at home. It seems to brighten the flavors and add character to even flavorless vegetables and meats.

I watched a Latino lady in a good Mexican restaurant use lime slices in a unique way recently. Lime slices are usually served with authentic Mexican restaurant meals. She asked the server for a couple of extra slices. She then squeezed the juice over her hands and used it as a hand cleaner. I suppose it works.

Ted

Ted, here in Mexico they use lime on everything. We usually eat fish once a day (LOVE going to docks in morning and getting fresh catch!) We lime the crap out of it! They hardly use vinegar here at all. I wonder if they had a hard time getting it so used lime instead? Or maybe a ways back, it was just unknown to them. They don't pickle much of anything here (Although they do pickle cactus but they use tequila...) We are fortunate in that we have 3 lime trees (as well as avocado, mango, orange and several others.) I always have a basket of fresh limes on the table.

I get to go to the REAL Mexican market every day
They make a lot of mixed fruit salsa here as well. They like the fruit salsas on shellfish and pork. The fruit salsa is hot/sweet and sometimes, REALLY hot! It looks so pretty and you never think it could scald your flabtwanger but one bite does you in!

Are their "heatless" habaneros? I grew Trinidad Perfume this year and it is the heatless version of Trinidad Scorpion and it was EXCELLENT! I also grew "Aji Dulce" which according to several sites,

Aji dulce peppers (Capsicum chinense) are small, sweet peppers similar to habaneros but without the heat

They were also excellent and had a kind of tangy apple flavor...

When I used these two peppers in things, I would add a little heat using other hot peppers but something that allowed me to control the heat.

I grew up eating really hot stuff but as I have gotten older, I just can't handle it anymore (I have apparently developed a "Sissy Palate")

Many restaurants have started serving large Jalapeno peppers as a side dish or vegetable. I haven't figured out how they cook them, but the skin is always wrinkled making them appear to be covered in plastic wrap. The cooking process also seems to reduce the heat. I will sometimes take a large bite of one while holding it by the stem and the heat will set my mouth on fire while the next one will have no heat. I haven't figured out why one is very hot and the next one has no heat. I love them.

I've heard friends complain about being on salt free diets for health reasons. I suggest they start squeezing fresh lime juice over their food instead of salting it heavily. It works. It just puts a zing into the taste much like salt does. A traditional southern Sunday dish is pot roast cooked with potatoes and carrots. I like the dish, but have always thought of it as rather bland in taste. For a few years, I squeezed lime juice over the roast, carrots, and potatoes and now love it.

Ted

[brokenbar]

Originally Posted by tedln

Many restaurants have started serving large Jalapeno peppers as a side dish or vegetable. I haven't figured out how they cook them, but the skin is always wrinkled making them appear to be covered in plastic wrap. The cooking process also seems to reduce the heat. I will sometimes take a large bite of one while holding it by the stem and the heat will set my mouth on fire while the next one will have no heat. I haven't figured out why one is very hot and the next one has no heat. I love them.

I've heard friends complain about being on salt free diets for health reasons. I suggest they start squeezing fresh lime juice over their food instead of salting it heavily. It works. It just puts a zing into the taste much like salt does. A traditional southern Sunday dish is pot roast cooked with potatoes and carrots. I like the dish, but have always thought of it as rather bland in taste. For a few years, I squeezed lime juice over the roast, carrots, and potatoes and now love it.

Ted

I wonder if they are steaming them? I will have to try that and see how they look...heat...I can have 5 peppers off the same plant and the heat level will very hugely from pepper to pepper. There is a scientific reason why (has to do with the pollination and some other stuff which is above my pay grade...) I actually had some jalapenos I grew one year from my own saved seed that barely had any heat at all. Who knows?

Pot roast, not just in the South. It was Pot Roast and Chicken & Dumplings for "dinner" for 27 of us on every Sunday! My Mom came over from Ireland so carrots and potatoes and cabbage figured prominently in every meal!

[NewWestGardener]

It could be pan fried in oil or deep friend, without batter. You can tell by the blisters on the skin. I had them deep fried, very good way to cook them.