packerbacker
Gold Member
per a request from a member in the "My Daily Snapshot" forum, I'm posting a recipe for homemade salsa. This recipe will yield about 7-9 pints of salsa. The "temperature" of the salsa can be adjusted based on how many seeds and ribs are left in the jalapeno peppers. I like the salsa to be what I consider "medium spicy" so that's the recipe I'll post. If you want it hotter, leave the seeds and ribs in more jalapenos, if you want it more mild, remove ALL of the seeds and ribs from the peppers. Every ingrediant here can be adjusted to personal taste but this is the basic recipe: Some may want to add tomato paste to thicken but we don't.
You will, of course, want to start off by rinsing all of the veggies in cool water just for hygene purposes. I'll also add a little disclaimer here. When canning any veggies, it's possible that you or I forgot a step or precaution and the food could become contaminated and harmful if eaten. I'm writing this to the best of my recollection!! I'll apologize ahead of time if you die.
At this point I would start the canning jars in the dishwasher with a "Sanitize" cycle. I guess you can boil the jars to sterilize them also but I don't know the proper procedure to make it safe. Google it?? You will need 7-9 pint jars with lids and rings. We also use a Water Bath Canner to sterilize the filled jars and use a jar lifter to remove the hot jars from the Canner.
10 cups of peeled, cored, seeded and chopped tomatoes (approx 6 pounds). I've heard Roma or Beefstake tomatoes work very good for salsa but we have mostly Early Girl variety but they worked ok. To peel easily, get a pot of boiling water going and a pot of cold water. Boil 4 or 5 tomatoes at a time for 30-45 seconds and then place them in cold water. The skins should come off easily. After they are all peeled, cored, seeded and chopped, put them in a strainer and gently push on tomatoes to remove excess water or finished salsa may be too runny.
5 cups of seeded, de-ribbed and chopped Anaheim or New Mexico peppers (approx 2 pounds). New Mexico are slightly hotter than the Anaheim. Little note here; when handling peppers I recommend wearing some surgical gloves and be careful not to rub your eyes. You've been warned!
5 cups finely chopped onions. (approx 1-1/2 pounds) I prefer the purple, sweet type for taste and color.
2-1/2 cups of seeded, de-ribbed and chopped Jalapeno peppers. (approx 1 pound) For the temperature I personally like, leave the seeds and ribs in 5 or 6 of the peppers.
6-8 cloves of fresh, minced garlic.
3-4 Tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro
3 teaspoons salt
1 cup apple cider vinegar (Actually, a little less than a cup is better for our taste)
Combine all of these ingredients in a large pot. Mix thoroughly but gently. Bring the mixture to a rolling, gentle boil for about 10 minutes. You will need to staert boiling water in the Water Bath Canner. They come with a rack that usually holds about 7 jars. You want enough water in it so that, when the jars are placed inside, the water level is at least 1-inch above the top of the jars. You will also need to sterilize the jar lids. I've seen various methods of doing this. Some folks say to boil and some say don't boil. We put them in boing water but turn the heat down so they just simmer for a few minutes. At this point we use a latel and a jar funnel to fill the hot canning jars to about 1/4 inch below the rim. Use a clean cloth or towel to clean off anything that may have gotten on the rim of the jar that might cause the lid to not seal properly. Gently position the jar lid on the rim and screw on the ring. Get the ring nice and snug but you don't have to get carried away with tightening, good and snug is fine. After the water begins to boil in the Water Bath Canner, place as many jars as you can into the canner using a jar lifter. After you get the jars in, make sure the water is still at least 1-inch above the top of the jars. The water will probably stop boiling due to the addition of the jars. As soon as the water begins to boil again, start the clock. Let them boil for 15 minutes. My elevation here is around 500 feet above sea level but, at higher elevations, you may need to boil them longer. You may have to do a little research here. After they have boiled for the proper time, use a jar lifter to remove the jars from the canner. Place the jars where they aren't in a draft and they won't be disturbed for 24 hours. As the jars seal, you will hear the lids make a "Metallic, Popping" sound. This indicates a proper seal has been made. If the lid did not seal properly, it will still protrude outward. I'd give them overnight to seal but it will probably take less than 15 minutes. The next day, if you push down on a lid and it "Clicks", it didn't seal right. That doesn't mean the salsa isn't any good, it just means to consume that jar(s) first (within a week or so).
Wala!...........you are done!! Clean up your mess!!!
You will, of course, want to start off by rinsing all of the veggies in cool water just for hygene purposes. I'll also add a little disclaimer here. When canning any veggies, it's possible that you or I forgot a step or precaution and the food could become contaminated and harmful if eaten. I'm writing this to the best of my recollection!! I'll apologize ahead of time if you die.
At this point I would start the canning jars in the dishwasher with a "Sanitize" cycle. I guess you can boil the jars to sterilize them also but I don't know the proper procedure to make it safe. Google it?? You will need 7-9 pint jars with lids and rings. We also use a Water Bath Canner to sterilize the filled jars and use a jar lifter to remove the hot jars from the Canner.
10 cups of peeled, cored, seeded and chopped tomatoes (approx 6 pounds). I've heard Roma or Beefstake tomatoes work very good for salsa but we have mostly Early Girl variety but they worked ok. To peel easily, get a pot of boiling water going and a pot of cold water. Boil 4 or 5 tomatoes at a time for 30-45 seconds and then place them in cold water. The skins should come off easily. After they are all peeled, cored, seeded and chopped, put them in a strainer and gently push on tomatoes to remove excess water or finished salsa may be too runny.
5 cups of seeded, de-ribbed and chopped Anaheim or New Mexico peppers (approx 2 pounds). New Mexico are slightly hotter than the Anaheim. Little note here; when handling peppers I recommend wearing some surgical gloves and be careful not to rub your eyes. You've been warned!
5 cups finely chopped onions. (approx 1-1/2 pounds) I prefer the purple, sweet type for taste and color.
2-1/2 cups of seeded, de-ribbed and chopped Jalapeno peppers. (approx 1 pound) For the temperature I personally like, leave the seeds and ribs in 5 or 6 of the peppers.
6-8 cloves of fresh, minced garlic.
3-4 Tablespoons of finely chopped cilantro
3 teaspoons salt
1 cup apple cider vinegar (Actually, a little less than a cup is better for our taste)
Combine all of these ingredients in a large pot. Mix thoroughly but gently. Bring the mixture to a rolling, gentle boil for about 10 minutes. You will need to staert boiling water in the Water Bath Canner. They come with a rack that usually holds about 7 jars. You want enough water in it so that, when the jars are placed inside, the water level is at least 1-inch above the top of the jars. You will also need to sterilize the jar lids. I've seen various methods of doing this. Some folks say to boil and some say don't boil. We put them in boing water but turn the heat down so they just simmer for a few minutes. At this point we use a latel and a jar funnel to fill the hot canning jars to about 1/4 inch below the rim. Use a clean cloth or towel to clean off anything that may have gotten on the rim of the jar that might cause the lid to not seal properly. Gently position the jar lid on the rim and screw on the ring. Get the ring nice and snug but you don't have to get carried away with tightening, good and snug is fine. After the water begins to boil in the Water Bath Canner, place as many jars as you can into the canner using a jar lifter. After you get the jars in, make sure the water is still at least 1-inch above the top of the jars. The water will probably stop boiling due to the addition of the jars. As soon as the water begins to boil again, start the clock. Let them boil for 15 minutes. My elevation here is around 500 feet above sea level but, at higher elevations, you may need to boil them longer. You may have to do a little research here. After they have boiled for the proper time, use a jar lifter to remove the jars from the canner. Place the jars where they aren't in a draft and they won't be disturbed for 24 hours. As the jars seal, you will hear the lids make a "Metallic, Popping" sound. This indicates a proper seal has been made. If the lid did not seal properly, it will still protrude outward. I'd give them overnight to seal but it will probably take less than 15 minutes. The next day, if you push down on a lid and it "Clicks", it didn't seal right. That doesn't mean the salsa isn't any good, it just means to consume that jar(s) first (within a week or so).
Wala!...........you are done!! Clean up your mess!!!
