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Saturday, August 24, 2013

Salsa Time





I've been doing a lot of canning this last week. It's a bit of work but really worth it when the snow flies.

This has been my favorite salsa recipe for a long time. It belongs to one of my best friend's mom. Thanks again Mrs B.! :)

I start with 15 to 20 ripe tomatoes (some tomatoes are larger than others)
10 to 20 jalapenos (seeded or leave seeds in for more heat)
2 cloves of garlic
3 green bell peppers
2 yellow onions
and salt to taste



dip the tomatoes in boiling water for a few minutes to loosen the skin. You can also bag the tomatoes, place them in the freezer overnight. The skin will slide right off.



ready to peel...



I peel and dice the tomatoes by hand, saving all of the juice.


then grind the peppers, jalapenos, garlic and onions...



add them to the tomato pot. Salt to taste.
Let the salsa simmer on medium low heat for about one hour, the sauce thickens a bit while simmering.





Fill hot sterilized jars with the salsa, wipe the rims with a clean cloth, then top with a lid.



I keep the lids in hot, but not boiling water...







The water bath canner holds 7 jars at a time. I fill the rack then lower the jars into the water. Make sure the water covers the top of the jars by at least 1".




For this recipe I process the jars for 15 minutes. Check your canner instructions for your area.



The jars cool on the counter....



This is good stuff for chip dip. I can make a meal out of tortillas and salsa. :)



6 comments:

Bushman said...

Do you add any vinegar or citric acid? Every time I try to can salsa like that it spoils because the acidity is too weak. I despise adding vinegar to my salsa it ruins it. The citric acid is better but still makes it a bit tart. I also add garlic and cilantro so maybe I'm over the edge and you're just under it! Have you ever smoked your red jalepenos and then dehydrated them? I do a bunch every year and then I run them through the food mill and put it in the salsa. Gives it nice heat with that wonderful smoky chipolte flavor.

cowgirl said...

Hi Bushman!
I've not had a batch spoil. Maybe I use them up too fast. :) Have you tried lemon juice? I use it in some of my tomato recipes and haven't noticed an odd flavor. Good luck with what ever you do!
Your dried jalapenos sound great! I smoke them in the smokehouse then bag and freeze them whole. They are nice to have on hand for many dishes.
I like the idea of drying them...would be easier to store.
Thanks! Hope you are having a nice weekend. :)

Bushman said...

I've tried a few different things. I end up freezing a lot now. I fill the mason jar up but leave enough room for it to expand. I have a huge freezer so I don't worry too much about space.

cowgirl said...

Freezing sounds like a good option Bushman, I'll give it a try. Thanks! :)

Jos said...

Muy buena, saludos

cowgirl said...

Thank you Jos! It is nice to see you. :)