Almost Homemade Salsa - Page 2

ContainerTed · September 5, 2009

Okay, thawed it out and it is absolutely wonderful. My chunks are still chunky and the flavor has not suffered any deterioration. I am confident that freezing it is okay to do. Below are some pictures. It's just as thick as it was when I put it in the container. I did not see any separation at all. The last picture shows some of the stuff I put in to make it chunky.

Ted

Barbee · September 5, 2009

Good deal! I'm going to freeze this batch I've got cooking right now. Thanks again!

jeffinsgf · September 5, 2009

I had the same experience with my "undoctored" Mrs. Wages. Just as good thawed as it was fresh.

Barbee · September 5, 2009

Hehe, I had to do a little experimenting myself with the Mrs Wages. I took maters (all colors), an onion, 2 large bell peppers--purple and red, 2 jals, 4 giant banana peppers, and garlic and roasted them at 450* for about 2 hours. Long enough to blacken the skins and reduce the juices.. then pulled out the big chunks of peppers/onion. Ran the large chunks thru my mini food processor to chop them and ran the rest of the mixture thru the food mill to remove the seeds/skins. Scraped all the yumminess from the food mill and the juice into my crock pot. Added some lime juice, a tablespoon of brown sugar, some finely chopped cilantro and the Mrs Wages.
OMG it's really good!
Next batch, I will add a few more jals to make an extra hot salsa for my daughter.
Woohoo, this stuff is tasty enough to warrant a trip to the grocery for some tortilla chips and supper tonight is going to be tex mex omelets. Mrs. Wages definitely has a new fan!

matereater · September 6, 2009

Dumb question, but why do you have to cook salsa, can't you just eat it raw ?? I like chunky salsas and would think cooking it would turn it to mush.

jeffinsgf · September 6, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by matereater

Dumb question, but why do you have to cook salsa, can't you just eat it raw ?? I like chunky salsas and would think cooking it would turn it to mush.

Freshly chopped tomatoes, peppers, garlic, etc. is Pico de Gallo. Take the same stuff and cook it and it's Salsa. Great oversimplification, but the point is "fresh" salsa isn't salsa, it's pico de gallo.

EDITED TO ADD:

The flavors are distinct. I love both. Fresh it great, but the flavor profiles created by cooking are unique.

ContainerTed · September 6, 2009

I like to cook down the sauce from that "6 lbs of tomatoes" to get a really thick base and then add the other veggies at the end. Then I only cook long enough to "clarify" the onions. I put in Tomatillos and there is a lot of debate about cook or don't cook those, so I choose to cook a bit when they are in there.

But the main reason I cook is to get the base sauce flavor the way I want it. Using 10 or 15 different varieties of tomatoes in (at least) a somewhat different state of ripeness can make the sauce smoother or more fruity with more tang. So I want to deal with this possible difference before I add the "chunky". Besides, I think (JMHO) you have to reduce the tomato squeezin's anyhow.

I want it to be so thick that you can put a tortilla chip in STRAIGHT DOWN and pull it out (STRAIGHT UP) and have it coated like the picture on BOTH sides. I don't like watery salsa like you find as the appetizer in a lot of Mexican Restaurants - you know, that little "puddle" of red-ish fire water with tomatilla seeds floating in it.

A salsa expert is something I am not, but I do know what I like and I know you cant buy this in a bottle. This recipe has proven to be so flexible that it has become the family standard. We probably won't buy Pace's Picante anymore.

It must be pretty good. When the Hispanic ladies working at my Doctor's office call to confirm an appointment, they are asking if we can bring in some more.

Dip, Dip - Slurp, Slurp - Crunch, Crunch - HHmmmmmmmm!!!!!!!

--------------------------------------------------------------

This happened yesterday

(BRing, BRing - Hello! Oh, hi neighbor, how are you? That's good. And how's the grand-daughter doing? Great. Yeah, they grow up too fast. So, what's happening? HHmmmmmm. Well, you're very welcome. HHmmmm. Yes, it is good, isn't it. HHmmmmm. Out already?? But I gave you that quart only yesterday. Is that right. Well, I'd love to, but we're running low ourselves right now. Yeah, I'll probably start another batch in a day or two. I'll see what I can do. Yeah, I'll let you know. Take care. Goodbye.)

--------------------------------------------------------------

Ted

season79 · January 24, 2010

I'll definitely have to try your recipe this season. Sounds so much easier than what I did last year!

September 5, 2009	#17
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	Good deal! I'm going to freeze this batch I've got cooking right now. Thanks again! __________________ *Barbee*

September 5, 2009	#19
Barbee Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: SW Ohio Posts: 1,818	Hehe, I had to do a little experimenting myself with the Mrs Wages. I took maters (all colors), an onion, 2 large bell peppers--purple and red, 2 jals, 4 giant banana peppers, and garlic and roasted them at 450* for about 2 hours. Long enough to blacken the skins and reduce the juices.. then pulled out the big chunks of peppers/onion. Ran the large chunks thru my mini food processor to chop them and ran the rest of the mixture thru the food mill to remove the seeds/skins. Scraped all the yumminess from the food mill and the juice into my crock pot. Added some lime juice, a tablespoon of brown sugar, some finely chopped cilantro and the Mrs Wages. OMG it's really good! Next batch, I will add a few more jals to make an extra hot salsa for my daughter. Woohoo, this stuff is tasty enough to warrant a trip to the grocery for some tortilla chips and supper tonight is going to be tex mex omelets. Mrs. Wages definitely has a new fan! __________________ *Barbee*

September 6, 2009	#20
matereater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: S.E. Michigan (Livonia) Posts: 1,264	Dumb question, but why do you have to cook salsa, can't you just eat it raw ?? I like chunky salsas and would think cooking it would turn it to mush. __________________ Steve Cleverly disguised as a responsible adult

September 6, 2009	#22
ContainerTed Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: 6a - NE Tennessee Posts: 4,538	I like to cook down the sauce from that "6 lbs of tomatoes" to get a really thick base and then add the other veggies at the end. Then I only cook long enough to "clarify" the onions. I put in Tomatillos and there is a lot of debate about cook or don't cook those, so I choose to cook a bit when they are in there. But the main reason I cook is to get the base sauce flavor the way I want it. Using 10 or 15 different varieties of tomatoes in (at least) a somewhat different state of ripeness can make the sauce smoother or more fruity with more tang. So I want to deal with this possible difference before I add the "chunky". Besides, I think (JMHO) you have to reduce the tomato squeezin's anyhow. I want it to be so thick that you can put a tortilla chip in STRAIGHT DOWN and pull it out (STRAIGHT UP) and have it coated like the picture on BOTH sides. I don't like watery salsa like you find as the appetizer in a lot of Mexican Restaurants - you know, that little "puddle" of red-ish fire water with tomatilla seeds floating in it. A salsa expert is something I am not, but I do know what I like and I know you cant buy this in a bottle. This recipe has proven to be so flexible that it has become the family standard. We probably won't buy Pace's Picante anymore. It must be pretty good. When the Hispanic ladies working at my Doctor's office call to confirm an appointment, they are asking if we can bring in some more. Dip, Dip - Slurp, Slurp - Crunch, Crunch - HHmmmmmmmm!!!!!!! -------------------------------------------------------------- This happened yesterday (BRing, BRing - Hello! Oh, hi neighbor, how are you? That's good. And how's the grand-daughter doing? Great. Yeah, they grow up too fast. So, what's happening? HHmmmmmm. Well, you're very welcome. HHmmmm. Yes, it is good, isn't it. HHmmmmm. Out already?? But I gave you that quart only yesterday. Is that right. Well, I'd love to, but we're running low ourselves right now. Yeah, I'll probably start another batch in a day or two. I'll see what I can do. Yeah, I'll let you know. Take care. Goodbye.) -------------------------------------------------------------- Ted __________________ Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch

September 5, 2009	#18
jeffinsgf Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Springfield Missouri Posts: 42	I had the same experience with my "undoctored" Mrs. Wages. Just as good thawed as it was fresh.

January 24, 2010	#23
season79 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: kentucky Posts: 13	I'll definitely have to try your recipe this season. Sounds so much easier than what I did last year!