Spicy Summer Salsa

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What comes to mind when someone says Spicy Summer Salsa???

My first thought is, Salsa Fresca aka Pico de Gallo, a fresh tomato based salsa with onions, cilantro and jalepeno peppers along side a bowl of chips.

salsa

My second thought would be a fruit based summer salsa, something like Carmelized Pineapple and Habanero salsa or peach and jalapeno salsa with chips or on a fish taco. How about a mango and jalapeno salsa? How about a zucchini salsa since you already have too many zucchini’s to keep up with. I think about what ever fruit or vegetable is ripe and ready to use, along with onions, peppers and cilantro. You can use parsley or carrot tops if you are not a fan of cilantro. When it comes to peppers, in addition to a little heat from the jalapeno or the habanero, I like to add colorful bell peppers, red, yellow, orange along with green to make the salsa a feast for the eyes as well as the tongue.

Fresh salsa, often called Salsa Fresca, is quick and easy to make, and I enjoy it all summer, but what about the rest of the year. I always plan on canning some salsa during the summer so that I have it later in the year. Yes, I know that I could buy it at the store, but when I can it myself, I know what is in it and I can adjust it to suit the flavor profile for my friends and family.

You did know that you could puree a jar of your home made salsa and now you have a great enchalada sauce. With that in mind, you probably should prepare and can more than you plan to use on tacos or tostadas or ??? I have not tried it, but making a puree out of my salsa to go on noodles might be a great change from a normal pasta night. If I wanted to keep it vegetarian, I could spiralize some zucchini or use a spaghetti squash with my salda puree.

Let’s not forget about Salsa Verde, a fresh tomatillo, tomato and lime salsa.

I could go on and on, but if you ever wanted to know how to make and even can your own salsa, mark your calendar for the 11th of July for a class offered by CSD at the Albiani Recreation Center.  Here is the link to sign up. The cost is only $20.

The instructor is Jack Edwards from the Elk Grove Lions Club. If you have enjoyed Pico de Gallo or Salsa Fresca at any of the Lions Club events, it was probably part of the 3-5 gallons of salsa that he makes for their events. I started canning back in the late 1950’s, canning jams, jellies, marmalades, chutneys, pickles, fruit, vegetables and meats with my mom and grandma. These photos show some of the meats, soups and pickles that he has canned over the past couple of years.

If you have never canned, don’t be worried about how difficult it will be. You will receive proven and tested recipes for salsa that can be safely canned or consumed fresh. As noted here, this class will be about safe recipes that can be canned because it will have the correct balance of ingredients. You will always want to be sure to use a tested recipe and if you take the time to look, I am sure that you will find a tested recipe that is very close to your favorite salsa.

I will show you what tools you need so that you can make your own salsa and impress your family with your new skill. The most difficult part of any canning project is the preparation of the food. Cutting up a few tomatos, peppers, cilantro and onions along with sprinkling in some salt and pepper. If you can make a fresh salad, you can make your own salsa.

Some people ask if I can the same things every year, and if so, how do you use them up before they go bad. First of all, I would not worry about my canned goods going bad over the course of about 8-10 years. They may not be as nutritious after 8-10 years, but still good to eat. Also, some things are only canned every couple of years because you don’t always get a good crop each year. Some years you get more than you could use and you can it but don’t can it again for a couple of years. For example, I am still using tomatos that I canned in 2020 and I have not canned tomatos in the past 3 years, other than as a part of the salsa that I can every year. In the photo above, the pickle relish was canned in 2020. There are items from 2022, 2023 & 2024. The oldest thing in my pantry is one last jar of cherry pie filling that was canned in 2019. I only have one of those left and just canned cherry pie filling last week.

By the way, the jars are not melting, that is the result of a wide angle lense trying to capture everything on the shelf.

By the way, if you want to learn about making and canning jam, I have a class on September 11th at CSD’s Albiani Recreation Center. Look for it in the CSD Fall Activity Guide.

If you need safe canning recipes for salsa, you can use a current Ball Canning Book or University Extension Offices or the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Here are some links for you. Don’t be surprised if you see the same or similar recipies on all of these sites.

There is always the question about substituting or changing the recipe. If you are not canning it, go with whatever you wish. But, if you are canning, you will no longer have a tested and safe canning recipe. Don’t do it, regardless of what you read online or see on YouTube. If the recipe says to use vinegar, use vinegar and not lemon juice. If it says to use bottled lemon juice, don’t use fresh juice or vinegar. Follow the safe and tested recipe and you don’t need to worry about accidentally poisoning your friends or family.

The only substitutions that you can consider are those that have been tested, for example, when a recipe states that you should use a certain number of cups of peppers, you can use any pepper you want. For example you can mix different colored bell peppers along with jalapeno peppers to add color to your salsa. I almost always mix red, yellow, orange and green bell peppers along with some jalapeno for the heat. Here is the source for that info:  https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/canning-salsa/ingredients-for-salsa-recipes/

I am looking forward to our class on July 11th. I plan for us to make 2 or 3 salsas and I will give you recipes for 6 salsas to take home and try on your own.

You will enjoy it so much, you will want to sign up for the salsa dancing class to celebrate everything salsa.