Summer Salsa
Note: for chopping all of the vegetables (besides the tomatoes and garlic), I use vegetable chop and measure that the kids got me for Christmas a few years ago. It makes quick work of big quantities of vegetables. A garlic press is a must have as well.
Note: for chopping all of the vegetables (besides the tomatoes and garlic), I use vegetable chop and measure that the kids got me for Christmas a few years ago. It makes quick work of big quantities of vegetables. A garlic press is a must have as well.
- 6 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- 6 cups chopped cored and peeled tomatoes (a “victorio†ma
- 5 cups seeded bell peppers (green and yellow make for pre
- 5 cups chopped onions
- 2 1/2 cups chopped and seed hot peppers (a mixture of jalapen cayenne, serrano or hot banana according to taste)
- 1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
- 1 tsp hot pepper sauce
- 16 oz. tomato paste
- 16 oz. tomato sauce
- 2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- Carbohydrate 169.896262502343 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 4.5636075 g
- Fiber 36.4205248470753 g
- Protein 32.8061125 g
- Saturated Fat 0.907741 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Recipe (1870g)
- Sodium 26700.5893140992 mg
- Sugar 133.475737655267 g
- Trans Fat 1.198473 g
- Calories 794 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix together, bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes.
- Pour into sterilized jars (I prefer the 12 oz. jars for salsa) and process in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes.
Standard refrigerated pico de gallo relies entirely on raw, unheated ingredients that release water rapidly and spoil within days. This cooked formulation diverges completely by incorporating tomato paste and a ten-minute boil, driving off excess moisture to concentrate the solids. Apple cider vinegar provides the necessary acetic acid required for safe home canning, ensuring the final mixture reaches a pH below 4.6.
Uniform dicing determines the final texture and ensures heat penetrates every particle during processing. A mechanical chopper creates consistent pieces, preventing large chunks of onion or bell pepper from hiding pockets of underprocessed air. Seed the hot peppers thoroughly if a milder heat profile is desired, or retain the white placental membranes to increase capsaicin intensity. Swapping white onions for red varieties introduces a sharper sulfur note, while substituting white vinegar for apple cider changes the sharpness of the sour profile without altering the safety parameters.
Boiling the combined ingredients for exactly ten minutes softens the raw bite of the garlic and onions while allowing the ground cumin and black pepper to bloom in the liquid phase. Ladling the hot mixture into sterilized glass containers requires maintaining a strict headspace of one half-inch to allow for thermal expansion during processing. Air bubbles trapped beneath the surface must be released using a non-metallic spatula before applying the two-piece lids.
Processing the filled jars in a boiling water bath for fifteen minutes destroys vegetative microorganisms and creates a vacuum seal upon cooling. Submerge the containers completely in rolling water that maintains a temperature of 212 degrees Fahrenheit throughout the timing window. Allow the jars to rest undisturbed on a folded kitchen towel for twenty-four hours to verify seal integrity before moving them to long-term storage.
