Salsa Making Days
By sholland10
I love late summer and early fall when my garden is ready to harvest, and I get to reap the benefits of its bounty. Each year I raise tomatoes, usually Early Girls because they last for several months and are great for eating and cooking. I raise green peppers, jalapeno peppers, and banana peppers. I love this combination of vegetables because I can put all of them in my salsa at the end of summer.
We love to eat salsa all year long, especially in the autumn and winter. Making homemade salsa can save you a lot of money if you eat or use a lot of it throughout the year like we do. You can eat it with chips or add it to cheese for a zesty dip or put it in your favorite dishes for a little spice. One of our favorite dishes is hot pinto beans with homemade salsa mixed in. Delicious!
Tips for Handling Jalapeno Peppers
A tip on handling hot peppers like jalapenos: 1) wash them the night before you are going to handle them, 2) make sure they are completely dry, 3) before slicing, make sure your hands are completely dry – the water activates the oil in the pepper that causes it to stay on your hands and burn. By following this tip, you should have a good experience with your peppers, rather than burning hands and possibly other burning parts, like your eyes when you unthinkingly touch them while your hands are on fire.
Tips for Getting Jalapeno Juice (Oil) Off Your Skin
A tip for curing hands with hot pepper oil on them is to first remember you are dealing with oil, not juice. Do not get your oil covered hands wet or the oil will be sealed in and you will be burning for up to a day. Use Dawn liquid dish soap and salt to rub on the areas that burn. Once you have rubbed the salt/soap mixture over your hands for a few minutes, place them under water to rinse. If you do not have Dawn liquid soap, try soaking your hands in a large bowl of cold milk.
What Ingredients and Materials Will You Need to Make Salsa?
If you want to make salsa you need tomatoes, a meaty type is best; jalapeno peppers, green peppers; red, yellow, and orange peppers (provides flavor and visual appeal); sweet and red onions, banana peppers (sweet and/or spicy), cilantro, a stalk of celery, a yellow squash, garlic gloves, crushed garlic, garlic salt, garlic powder, black pepper, salt, and vinegar. Many of the fruits, vegetables, and herbs can be grown in your own garden, but sometimes that is not possible so farmers’ markets and grocery stores are other great resources. I at least like to grow some of the above mentioned ingredients so I can say, “Hey, those tomatoes and peppers are from my garden.”
Along with the food ingredients, you will need one extra large pot, 24 -36 pint jars (or you can use quart jars which would take fewer) with new lids and the equal amount of screw tops to go over the lids. A wide mouthed funnel to fit into the jars. A wet towel to lay alongside your pan to cut down on the mess. Either a ladle or large spoon and a spoon that allows the juice to drain as you dip the salsa into the jars. A clean wet wash cloth to wipe the tops of the jars off before placing the lid on top.
I am not the type of cook who does a lot of measuring, but as I take you through the steps of making salsa, I will give you some estimated measurements. It really is a recipe that can be tailored to your taste, though. Also, I save a little time on the day I make the salsa by chopping up my peppers and flash freezing them (placing them as flat as possible on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper and putting them in the freezer for a couple of hours or even overnight) then storing them in an airtight bag to be placed back in the freezer. The peppers are producing all summer, and it is nice to have them already chopped up when it is time to make the salsa, plus you have them in your freezer to use in other recipes all year long.
Making the Salsa
1) Boil an extra-large pot of water.
2) Place your tomatoes (15 – 20 lbs) in the sink with the stopper in place. Your sink should be three-fourth filled with tomatoes.
3) Pour the boiling water over the tomatoes and add, if needed, hot tap water so tomatoes are completely covered. This process will cause your tomato skins to simply slide off. I let them set as I get other ingredients ready.
In the Extra-Large Pot You Used for Boiling Water:
4) Chop two to four large onions – sweet and red (you may use any type of onion – just whatever meets your tastes).
5) Slice a whole stalk of celery – more or less
6) Slice 7 – 8 jalapeno peppers (I like medium to hot salsa, and the 7 – 8 jalapenos with seeds seems to be the right amount. If you like mild, take the seeds out.)
7) Chop the red, orange, and yellow peppers.
8) Chop the yellow squash
9) Slice 4 or 5 garlic gloves
10) Add a small jar of minced garlic (not dried)
11) Chop a large bunch of cilantro (maybe two)
12) Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, and garlic salt to taste
13) Add ¼ - ½ cup of vinegar
14) Place extra- large pot with vegetables next to sink of soaking tomatoes
15) Start adding tomatoes. Slide the peelings off and place them in a plastic bag to be thrown away. The peelings will clog your garbage disposable and sink pipes – trust me, I learned the hard way. Slice the tomatoes into the pot.
16) Periodically stir the pot of ingredients and continue to add the dry ingredients (salt, garlic salt, garlic pepper, etc) because they will weaken with the larger amount of ingredients.
17) Once your pot is full, carefully take it to your stove and turn the stove to medium heat. You want it to simmer for at least 20 minutes.
How to Prepare the Jars and Lids for Canning Salsa
I like to use pint and quart jars with the regular opening. These can be bought in most grocery stores and sometime hardware stores. You will also need the lids that can only be used once. Place these lids in a small pot of water and let it come to a boil then turn it to low. Make sure your jars are clean and line up about 24 – 30 of them next to your stove where your salsa is simmering.
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Steps to Pouring the Salsa into the Jars
1. Place the funnel into a jar
2. Use the large draining spoon to dip the hot salsa into the jar until it reaches the bottom of the rimmed part of the jar.
3. If needed, use the ladle or the large spoon to add juice to the jar.
4. Take the funnel out and place it in another clean jar.
5. Wipe the rim of the jar with the clean wet cloth making sure that all residue is wiped off.
6. Use a wooden spoon to dip the lids out of the small pan of hot water.
7. Place the lid on top of the jar.
8. Place the screw top on top of the jar over the lid. You may want to use a rubber jar opener and an oven mitten to protect your hands from the heat of the jar with hot salsa. Make sure the lids are screwed on tight.
9. Repeat above steps until all salsa is jarred.
Salsa Juice Has Many Uses
I love to save the juice to cook with because it is seasoned and it stores as well as the salsa. So, using the same technique for jarring the salsa, I pour the juice into jars, too. The juice is also great for sore throats. In my opinion, it is a miracle juice when it comes to sore throats and colds because all these vegetables are packed with vitamin C. It also works well to flavor and spice of foods like chili or taco meat. Plus, if you simply like to drink it, you will have it on hand.
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Once all Jars are Filled
Place all jars together. As they cool, the lids will be sucked in and will seal the jars. You will probably hear them pop. The next day I push my finger in the middle of each lid. If it has no “give,” it is sealed. If it pops back, I immediately put that jar or those jars in the refrigerator and use them first. Rarely does this happen though. If it does, it is usually just one jar that I did not have the screw lid tightened enough.
I store all the jars in my pantry or cabinets. I keep a place just for them. When my family finishes a jar of salsa, the jar is washed and placed in the same spot of the pantry or cabinet. You cannot reuse the lids, so just throw them away. The jars and screw lids need to be stored for next year’s batch.
Now I have a delicious treat or cooking ingredient or cure for the cold on hand all year long. ENJOY!
© sholland10 2011. All rights reserved.
Comments
I make homemade salsa too! I like it fresh and raw, but I have been known to can it at times, Your recipe looks yummy!
Hi Diet Diva,
I make homemade, too. :-) Canning it takes time, but it sure taste good on a cold night. It is fun to give as gifts too. Not too many people can (meaning canning) anymore. Thanks for dropping by!!
I have never had homemade salsa before.
Oh Flora, if you have the time, you must try it. It is so rewarding to have those jars of salsa during the fall and winter months. :-)
Thanks for dropping by!! :-)
Sholland, voted up. This salsa looks very good. And with prices still going up, it would be much cheaper making your own and having them for the winter season. A good move for any salsa lover. Well written.
Thanks Lyricwriter! We love having it on hand all the time. And, there is just a special feeling knowing you made it yourself. :-)
I've always wondered how to do this, and you've explained it so well. I have a load of early autumn tomatoes still coming in strong; now I know what to do with them. Voted up and bookmarked. Nice photos! Thank you!
Thanks, Gaila!! I have several autumn tomatoes too. It is so nice to have them in order to make some tastey salsa!! Thanks for dropping by!! :-)
That's a great idea for preserving fresh salsa. Voting this Up and Useful. Thanks for SHARING.
sholland10 - Susan, I like your recipe and I like the idea of turning this into a canning project. Your addition of yellow squash sounds great. By the way, it is awesome that you can just grab these ingredients from your garden.
I am a lucky girl. My mom was born and raised in Mexico and she makes a variety of homemade salsas on a daily basis. She'll even eat a raw serrano pepper - hot! She is my neighbor. So instead of asking my neighbor for a cup of sugar - I ask for a cup of salsa! - hehe
I'm going to save this to my bookmarked recipes file on HP. I'll check pinterest too and see if you have added it there - yum!
voted up! and across :)
Good instructions! I just came upon a weight loss diet which allows all the salsa you can eat, and I love the stuff. I'll have to give thought to your recipe. Thank you.
I'm planning a salsa garden in my backyard this year--tomato, cilantro, tomatillo. This article is bookmarked!
Thanks, Alocsin! Always happy to see that you dropped by! :-)
Thanks, MissOlive! Oh my, I do not think I can even compete with your mother. I bet you have wonderful fresh salsa all the time! You should get her permission to take pictures as she makes it and to write down her recipes... A variety of salsa... That would make some great hubs.
Thanks for the bookmark and votes! I do have it on Pinterest! :-)
Thanks for dropping by!
MsDora, I am glad you liked the recipe. If I run out in the winter, which I am getting close, I notice the Roma tomatoes are out. I may have to go get some and make a batch to get me through to spring. :-)
Thanks for dropping by!
KS, cilantro is one of my favorite ingredients. Last year my cilantro bolted, so I had to go to the farmers' market to get it. What is tomatillo? Sounds interesting, and I am into "optional" ingredients. Thanks for the bookmark!
Thanks for dropping by and good luck with your salsa garden - you are going to love it. :-)
Hey Susan, awesome hub. However, I'll never use it for myself. I don't eat salsa, so I guess that's that. LOL! I'm sure I've told you, I'm a picky eater. LOL! But, even with that said, I'm sure that you will have lots of readers who will enjoy your hub. Voted up! Awesome and useful. :) Shared also. :)
A tomatillo looks like a green tomato inside a papery husk. they require a longer growing season than a tomato and are used for salsa verde.
I love to eat Salsa with a crispy potato chips.
Salsa, is a great standby and adds extra punch to a great big dish of scrambled eggs 8 XLARGE, a cup of milk and as much salsa as you wish, stir together, cover with several cups of your favourite grated cheese and bake in the oven till cheese is toasted. Serve with thick slices of garlic bread, a glass of wine or grape juice.
Chez Rodne'
Read this yesterday, sounds sooo good - made it it last night - it is great!! Thanks so much
This looks great, I like the idea of making my own because I'm into growing organic home grown vegetables myself and there is sometimes quite a lot I don't know what to do with.This hub has given me the perfect answer.Voted up, well done.
Awesome! I've been thinking of making Salsa, but have never really researched it yet. Your hub lays out all the details nicely - I'll need to refer this hub when I'm ready to make SALSA! Bookmarking it too...
Ray, thanks for sharing even though you don't care for the product. LOL I really appreciate it the votes and shares. :-)
KS, thanks for coming back to tell me about the tomatillo. I will look for the plants this spring and try them. :-)
Whm and Rodney, I love salsa with chips and in other dishes, too. Rodney, you should write a hub with your recipe. :-) We love to put it in fresh cooked pinto beans, too.
Thanks for dropping by and sharing!!
Quester, I hope you made enough to last. I feel honored that you used my recipe and liked it.
Thanks for dropping by!! :-)
Brian, flash freezing and salsa are great ways to use extra vegetables. I hope you get a lot of extras this summer and fall. :-)
Thanks for dropping by!!
HealthWealthMusic, thanks for the bookmark. You are going to love having it in the cabinet whenever you want it. :-)
Thanks for dropping by!! :-)
Beautiful! You know we have the best land for growing all the fruits and veggies you mention. I have just started learning to can and it is so much fun! I have plenty of stuff to do this - I just need to wait for some good tomatoes so I will bookmark this one!
I did some peach butter - the kids were eating it with spoons! lol I can't wait for summer so we can enjoy home grown food again:)
Thanks Kelly! I bet you have great soil being so close to the Mississippi! I grew up with my mother and grandmother canning. I used to can green beans every year - they're the best. We don't plant a big garden anymore, though. Just enough for salsa. Thanks for the bookmark! :-)
I have never tried peach butter. My husband loves peaches. Do you have a hub on how to make it? If not, you should! :-)
thankhs for such a nice description about salsa,Although i have heard this first time,but after reading your hub,i am thinking to try it.very useful and voting it up.
Nit, I think you are going to love it! Good luck... it takes time, but it is pretty easy. :-)
Thanks for the votes and for dropping by!
I've enjoyed reading your hub. It must be quite rewarding to be able to grow, harvest, and cook your own home grown vegetables. That salsa looks very tasty!! All I need is some tortilla chips with a bowl of your homemade salsa and I'm all good to go. Great hub!!!!
Nina, it is great to have around. I wish I could send you a jar. :-) Sometimes "the crop" isn't as much as I would like, so I will break down and go to the grocery store or farmers market. If I ran out before canning the next yearly batch, I would have to resort to going to the grocery store to buy the ingredients to get me through. :-)
Thanks for dropping by!! :-)
Well I did not know about this salsa. But my mother makes pickles which more are less could be a different version of salsa.
I will translate this recipe for my mother so that I can taste this.
Vinaya, my mother used to make all kinds of pickles. Maybe you could translate your mother's pickle recipe in a hub. If you try the salsa, I hope you like it. :-)
Thank you for dropping by! :-)
OH HECK YES!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love salsa, and I actually enjoy gardening too. Thing is, I live on my parent's property in a little trailer next to their house, and so the garden is actually Mom's garden...and she does the salsa making and canning.
You could say her tastes are a bit milder than mine :-/
I do love her salsa though, but my local Mexican American Mom (second mother...I adopted her)...hers is to die for!
Okay, Wesman, here is what you need to do when you know your mom is making salsa. When she gets down to where she has a few jars to go, have a jalapeno or two already sliced, look at her with the eyes that mothers cannot resist, and ask her if she would add those for the last few jars. I bet you would get your spicier salsa then. You have to play it right though. I am just telling you what would work with me if my son came in. Actually, it is the other way around... I like the spicy and he likes the mild. Then we get the jars mixed up. SO, you will need to be more organized than we are. LOL Maybe you could have stickers ready for the jar lids. GOOD LUCK! At least you have your second mom to fall back on if the eye thing doesn't work. ;-) Thanks for dropping by! :-)
I LIKE THE WAY YOU THINK!!!!!!!!!!! (devious! very devious!)
LOL!
The last batch...well there were two batches made in one day, and the second and smaller batch ...for whatever reason, came out lots spicier.
So I got all of that!!!!
I'm going to make real efforts at having my own custom stuff this year though!!!
Wesman, not devious, just persuasive! LOL Since I do not measure everything out, my batches come out different, too. I do know that at the end when I have real control over the spice-factor, adding that extra jalapeno makes a big difference. If I have too much juice left, I quickly chop up more onion, green pepper, and celery to throw in. I think I may need to go open a jar. Now, you stick to the plan, and you will get your custom batch. ;-)
Patricia Hoffman 8 months ago
Looks delicious and is so pretty!