Some homemade salsas have been a favorite for
years and even generations. Families have been handing down their own
special family recipes to successive generations and kept a long
tradition of making their own salsa.
It's easy to go to the nearby corner grocery store
and pick up a jar of salsa, but making your own at home can be lots of
fun and quite rewarding! If you have had a productive garden and have
an overstock of tomatoes and peppers, salsa is an excellent way to use
them up!
Once you do this, you may find that making salsa
and stocking up your pantry each year will be a regular goal of yours!
You only need a basic supply to make salsa, a simple recipe and the
process of making the salsa.
Typical salsa ingredients are variations of the
following: tomatoes, green pepper, Jalapeno, red chili pepper, garlic
salt or powder, onion, cilantro, lemon juice. Don't be afraid to
experiment!
As you can see, homemade salsa is full of vitamins
and antioxidants that are known to keep your body stay healthy!
Personalize to your taste - Adding more jalapenos
and other peppers will make the salsa hotter. In the same way reducing
the number of peppers and adding more tomatoes will create a milder
salsa.
The full flavor and strength of spices deteriorate
over time so make sure to use fresh spices. And always use fresh oils.
Like spices, oils lose their flavor over time and some can go rancid if
kept too long.
To avoid chile pepper irritation wear rubber
gloves or even small plastic bags over your hands. Don't touch your
face or rub your eyes while handling hot peppers.
When making and preserving your homemade salsa,
you will need all the supplies that you typically need when you are
preserving tomatoes. You will need canning jars, lids and bands, a hot
water bath canner, a large pot to cook the salsa, strainer, jar lifter,
large bowl, and the ingredients from your recipe. Thoroughly wash all
the utensils you will be using and boil the jars and bands. Warm the
lids but don't boil them. Leave the jars and the lids in the hot water
up until the time you are ready to fill them.
Alternatively you can store them in your freezer.
After making a large batch of salsa, simply divide it into small
containers and place them in the freezer. You'll be able to enjoy
fresh-tasting salsa year round!
