This is an update
to a post added last fall after I interviewed Sandi Dutt for my monthly cooking
column that appears in the Abilene Reflector-Chronicle. During the interview
she gave me a pint jar of her Salsa. We served it with quesadilla and a pork carnitas dinner, and liked the salsa so much that I posted the recipe and even noted, “If I had 22 “good” tomatoes I’d be in the kitchen trying to
duplicate her recipe.”
Well we
now have LOTS of “good” tomatoes and Barry wanted to try his hand at canning –
this was his first experience so I’ve added some photos detailing the
process.
I even learned something along the way.
In preparation for the canning process, I grabbed a couple of
quart jars and some pints, too. When it was time to set the timer for water
bathing the salsa, I noticed the recipe did not list a processing time for
quart jars. Checked the USDA website and they had no times listed either.
After more checking I
found out the
Extension service no longer recommends water bathing quart jars of salsa. Why? Salsa
is a mixture of acid and LOW-acid ingredients and recent testing indicates there is a chance that bacteria
may develop in quart jars of salsa that have been water bathed. Since salsa in
usually eaten straight from the jar, canning quart jars of the stuff is no
longer recommend! So, our quarts of salsa are now in the fridge while the pints are stored in the
pantry.
By the way, my original blog story follows
Sandi’s recipe. And, we continue to “umm and ahh” over her recipe!
Sandi’s Salsa Makes 8 pints (do not use quart jars – see
explanation above)
22 tomatoes
5 large onions
2 to 3 bell peppers
9 to 11 jalapeno peppers or as desired
1 cup white vinegar
½ to ¾ cup granulated sugar or less
1/3 cup salt
2 to 3 small (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
Cilantro, chopped to taste, optional
1.
Core each tomato and cut an X shape into the bottom surface of each. Blanch by immersing a few of the tomatoes into a pot of boiling water just until skin starts peeling (do not let them linger too long or they will cook.)
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Barry first cored the tomatoes & then we blanched them ( added them to a pot of boiling water for a couple of minutes , just until their skins started to break) and then, after plunging them into cold water, I peeled them (the peels are easily removed after blanching). Then Barry added the peeled tomatoes to the food processor and pulsed them until chunky. |
2. Cut tomatoes in half and remove at least a few of the seeds. Squeeze out excess liquid.
3. Run tomatoes through a food processer. pulsing just until chunky.
3. Combine all ingredients in a large pot; bring to a boil and cook for 20 to 30 minutes
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Thick and chunky, this salsa already looks and smells good. Time to get out the chips! |
4. Ladle salsa into jars, leaving about a 1” headspace. Wipe the top of each jar with a clean cloth and added a lid & band to each jar.
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Barry ladles salsa into sterilized jars. |
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Next he wiped the top of each jar with a clean cloth and added a lid & band to each jar
before immersing them in the hot water bath.
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5. To water bath — Place each jar in a pot of hot water—make sure jars and lids are completely immersed in the water. Bring pot of water to a boil and then begin timing. Process 15 minutes for pint jars @ 0 to 1,000’. For detailed instructions and guidelines for safe
home canning, from jar sterilization to choosing the right canning method
(water bath vs. pressure cooking) to testing jar seals, go to the USDA Complete Guide to
Home Canning and Preserving.
Recipe without photos . . . Sandi’s Salsa Makes 8 pints (do not use quart jars)
22 tomatoes
5 large onions
2 to 3 bell peppers
9 to 11 jalapeño peppers or as desired
1 cup white vinegar
½ to ¾ cup granulated sugar or less
1/3 cup salt
2 to 3 small (6 oz.) cans tomato paste
Cilantro, chopped to taste, optional
1. Core each tomato and cut an X shape into the bottom surface of each. Blanch by immersing a few of the tomatoes into a pot of boiling water just until skin starts peeling (do not let them linger too long or they will cook.)
2. Cut tomatoes in half and remove at least a few of the seeds. Squeeze out excess liquid.
3. Run tomatoes through a food processer. pulsing just until chunky. Barry first cored the tomatoes & then we blanched them
4. Chop onions and peppers.
5. Combine all ingredients in a large pot; bring to a boil and cook for 20 to 30 minutes.
6. Ladle salsa into jars, leaving about a 1” headspace. Wipe the top of each jar with a clean cloth and added a lid & band to each jar.
7. To water bath — Place each jar in a pot of hot water—make sure jars and lids are completely immersed in the water. Bring pot of water to a boil and then begin timing. Process 15 minutes for pint jars @ 0 to 1,000’. For detailed instructions and guidelines for safe home canning, from jar sterilization to choosing the right canning method (water bath vs. pressure cooking) to testing jar seals, go to the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning and Preserving.
STORY WITH ORIGINAL POST – fall 2011
We “ummed & ahhed” through the
entire pint – Sandi’s Salsa
Mike
Jantz told me that Sandi Dutt was a really good cook and bragged, “She makes
the BEST salsa.” Mike and Sandi are both educators at Abilene High School and
Sandi assists Mike with his championship volleyball team.
Based on his
recommendation I interviewed Sandi and her daughter, Abby Dutt Markley, for my
November 2011 cooking column that runs monthly in Abilene’s newspaper. Sandi
shared her salsa recipe for that column and also gave me a pint of salsa to
take home.
It set on the
shelf in our pantry until Barry made cheese and chicken quesadillas the other
day. Pace® is our usual brand of salsa/picante sauce but we were out so he
opened Sandi’s jar.
We like to spoon
salsa over the top or our quesadilla wedges; in no time we had gobbled down
half of the jar! Have to admit there
wasn’t much talking, just a lot of “umming and ahhing” going on. Barry finally
took a breath to proclaim, “This is the BEST salsa I’ve ever tasted!” I was in
total agreement! When we’d had our fill, it was time to securitize. Here’s our
analysis of the salsa . . .
. . .a hint of heat
(enough to satisfy by spicy heat cravings yet mild enough for Barry) with a
sweet undertone;
. . . perfect consistency, not to thick but not too runny –
“it was just right”;
. . . fantastic combination of flavors;
. . . Barry’s other comment say’s it all, “This tastes
like MORE!”
Sandi’s Salsa has definitely set a new
standard for salsa in our household. And, if I had 22 “good” tomatoes I’d be in
the kitchen trying to duplicate her recipe. We will definitely make it this
summer or whenever we find a batch of summer-like tomatoes.
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Sandi's Salsa w/ quesadillas.
Fall 2011 |
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