Lets talk Salsa!

[SummerSky]

Originally Posted by luigiwu

Has anyone made salsa using the Victorio food mill? My typical way seems to be sooo much work - to peel them and then cut them and then have the drain for like a day? The peeling part is the worst coz it alway seems to be the hottest summer day when all the tommys are ripe and so the hot boiling water, with the hot burned fingers made me not want to make any this year unfortunately....

I second this. We like smooth salsa in our family, and it seems silly to skin them and chop them up when I'm just going to turn around and send the batch through the blender. I'd rather cut a few steps and just send everything though the mill...

[luigiwu]

Originally Posted by SummerSky

I second this. We like smooth salsa in our family, and it seems silly to skin them and chop them up when I'm just going to turn around and send the batch through the blender. I'd rather cut a few steps and just send everything though the mill...

Do you use the food mill? I know the Victorio has a seperate screen for salsa that supposedly will leave it a little chunky still?

[BigVanVader]

I use a blender as well since we like a "picante sauce" consistency that will grab onto a chip but still have chunks in it. What I do is just pulse it lightly untill its the desired consistincy. When cutting the tomato I quater it, drain it, then throw it in. Sometimes I blanch to peel but tbh when i dont the skins still arent noticable, probably because I only grow heirlooms and there skins are so thin. Experiment and see what works for you, there really is no right or wrong.

[Worth1]

A food processor is an absolute must for making salsa.
I dont want to come across as you ((HAVE)) to have one but they work much easier than a blender.

Helpful hint.

Take each ingredient and process them separately in the processor or blender to desired size.
Then fold them together by hand up in a large bowl.

If using spices like whole cumin seeds roast them in a skillet on top of the stove for a wee bit before grinding and using.

The word Picante means spicy and or hot in Spanish.
Sauce and salsa mean the same thing.
A chunky sauce is called salsa cruda.

Sauces in the US have used the word picante sauce for a particular type of sauce, where in Mexico it is used for any type of sauce that is hot and or spicy.
One in particular salsa is Valentina Salsa Picante Red and Black label.
These salsas have no tomatoes and are made from chili peppers water vinegar spices and salt.
Both are a real must in any kitchen and are much more flavorful than the Tabasco brand sauces.
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...,d.aWw&cad=rja

While we are on the subject of salsa the HERDEZ brand is always in my house.
http://www.herdeztraditions.com/prod...itional-salsa/

The next time you are in the store look and see what our friends from south of the border are buying (fresh or canned.
You will experience a whole new world in flavors.

One thing I do is chunk up the regular tomatoes peppers onions and so forth and then put a shot or two of the Valentina Salsa black label in.

Works great.

Worth

[Salsacharley]

Here's a thread that addresses the Victorio mill. It motivated me to get one. I use it when I want completely smooth sauce or paste. I don't have the salsa screen which probably would provide more chunks.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...light=victorio

[mekrebs]

Here's my salsa recipe:

[Salsacharley]

Thanks for posting the recipe. I haven't looked too closely at it yet but I did notice it makes 3 gallons. I like that!

[taboule]

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

... I haven't looked too closely at it yet but I did notice it makes 3 gallons. I like that!

Mekrebs is wise to start small, just in case he/she wants to tweak the recipe.

[Goodloe]

From Worth:
"Sauces in the US have used the word picante sauce for a particular type of sauce, where in Mexico it is used for any type of sauce that is hot and or spicy.
One in particular salsa is Valentina Salsa Picante Red and Black label.
These salsas have no tomatoes and are made from chili peppers water vinegar spices and salt.
Both are a real must in any kitchen and are much more flavorful than the Tabasco brand sauces."

I couldn't agree more; Valentina Salsa Picante is beautiful stuff! It's been my everyday hot sauce for years!

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Goodloe

From Worth:
"Sauces in the US have used the word picante sauce for a particular type of sauce, where in Mexico it is used for any type of sauce that is hot and or spicy.
One in particular salsa is Valentina Salsa Picante Red and Black label.
These salsas have no tomatoes and are made from chili peppers water vinegar spices and salt.
Both are a real must in any kitchen and are much more flavorful than the Tabasco brand sauces."

I couldn't agree more; Valentina Salsa Picante is beautiful stuff! It's been my everyday hot sauce for years!

Cheap too that is what counts the most.
Like I have said time and time again here the Mexican stuff is way good.
Why in the devil would I pay so much for a wee bottle of Wild Eyed Worth's hot sauce when I can get a ton of it for the same price but better out of Mexico.

Well maybe not Wild Eyed Worth's, that is some good stuff.

Worth

[b54red]

Originally Posted by brokenbar

I wanted to pass on a couple of steps in making salsa that can make a huge difference in the quality of the end product.

I HATE runny salsa…Salsa should cling to a chip without plopping in your lap before you get it to your mouth. That said, I have developed a method that leaves your salsa much thicker and richer without requiring much cooking down.

I remove the skins, remove the seeds and chop my tomatoes. I then place the tomatoes in a large colander atop a bowl or kettle and go away and leave it for about 6 hours. You will be amazed how much liquid comes out of those chopped tomatoes. You will have more liquid than I do as the tomatoes I use are much, much drier, have fewer seeds and hardly any gel fraction.

The recipe I use calls for tomato paste and tomato sauce. I add my other ingredients, cippolini onions, sweet peppers, hot peppers, garlic, salt, pepper, sugar, cumin & lime juice and bring that to a boil. I let it boil for 10 minutes. Then I add the tomatoes and the cilantro, mixing well and fill my jars. Cooking the tomatoes less contributes to a chunkier and thicker salsa. My recipe calls for 10 minutes in the canner.

I have also switched to growing and using the pepper “Santa Fe Grande” exclusively in my salsa. This is a terrific pepper. Lush, 2-3 foot plants just covered with 3 to 4” long peppers that go from creamy green color to banana yellow (and eventually to orange then red.) These are a little less hot than jalapenos but than means you can add a few more and the yellow, red and orange colors contribute to a beautiful salsa. I also add the hotter, larger yellow “volcano pepper” to a batch for my Son and habanero’s to a batch for a friend who has no taste buds left at all! Whatever pepper you use is fine.
Anyway, that’s my salsa hints for the day!

I really like your hint about draining the tomatoes before using them for canned salsa because that is what I ended up doing to prevent mine from being too watery but I didn't do it quite enough. I will drain them even longer this year.

The one thing I have started doing differently than you is I leave the cilantro out of the recipe and when I open a new jar I add fresh cilantro to it. I love the cilantro flavor especially when fresh and do not find it nearly as good when it is in the canned salsa. It is a little more trouble but well worth it.

Bill

[oakley]

Mine is thin and juicy, with texture but not at all chunky. Good kick but not a burn...
nice roasted flavor and a bit smoky. Fresh poblano and cilantro. The roasted/smoked
packets are in the freezer from September harvesting. Just a couple bottles left
of a fermented HatchChili hot sauce in the fridge. So I make a batch and split it into
a mild and a hot. Sometimes fresh red onion and red pepper if I have it.
I don't pressure can or water bath. Don't care for heat processed food or any veg
that way.
Need a good lean forward over a plate with my tacos or chip dipping, or you
will be covered in it.
I know what I like is the minority but it is what it is

[taboule]

Originally Posted by b54red

The one thing I have started doing differently than you is I leave the cilantro out of the recipe and when I open a new jar I add fresh cilantro to it. I love the cilantro flavor especially when fresh and do not find it nearly as good when it is in the canned salsa.

Bill

Bill, agreed. Nothing equals the taste of fresh cilantro, it's a completely different flavor than cooked, and what distinguishes (to me) southwestern and other cuisines that use it -Asian and Middle Eastern.

Having said that, I do both. Still use a healthy dose in the salsa during canning. That creates the first layer of flavor, with its own twist when cooked, then hit it again with fresh leaves before serving. The combination gives the salsa extra depth and complexity, for little effort.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by oakley

Mine is thin and juicy, with texture but not at all chunky. Good kick but not a burn...
nice roasted flavor and a bit smoky. Fresh poblano and cilantro. The roasted/smoked
packets are in the freezer from September harvesting. Just a couple bottles left
of a fermented HatchChili hot sauce in the fridge. So I make a batch and split it into
a mild and a hot. Sometimes fresh red onion and red pepper if I have it.
I don't pressure can or water bath. Don't care for heat processed food or any veg
that way.
Need a good lean forward over a plate with my tacos or chip dipping, or you
will be covered in it.
I know what I like is the minority but it is what it is

Sounds good to me.
Worth

[hl2601]

Mekrebs- thanks for posting your recipe. I am wondering what the tomatillos add flavor wise, if thats possible to describe? Also, how do they effect your salsa's finished color? I want to try your method out this year. Last year I had tomatillos coming out my ears!
Heide