Love Salsa? Try Making Your Own!

Home made salsa has been a favorite for generations. Many families have a special family recipe that has been handed down to each family and they've continued on with the tradition of making their own salsa. While it is easy to go to the nearest grocery store and pick up a jar of salsa, making your own at home can be lots of fun! If you have an overflowing supply of tomatoes and peppers, salsa is a great way to use them up! Homemade salsa is full of antioxidants and other vitamins that will help your body stay healthy! I love to make salsa and try to stock my pantry each year with my homemade salsa! In this article I will cover the basic supplies you need to make salsa, a simple recipe and the basic process of making the salsa.

To make and preserve salsa, you will need all the supplies you need to preserve tomatoes. You will need a hot water bath canner, canning jars, lids and bands, a large pot to cook the salsa, jar lifter, strainer, large bowl, and the ingredients from your recipe. Wash all the utensils, and boil the jars and bands. Warm the lids, but do not boil them. Leave the jars and the lids in the hot water until you are ready to fill them.

Once you have your supplies prepared, you will want to prepare the recipe. The following is a simple recipe that will make about 3 pints, but you will probably want to double or triple the recipe for a large canning batch. Start with 3 cups of chopped and peeled tomatoes. To peel the tomatoes, simply boil the tomatoes for one minute and then the skin will start to crack and will be easily peeled off. Combine 3 jalapeño peppers, or a pepper of your choice. Bell peppers may also be used; the salsa will just be milder. Add ¾ cup chopped onion. White, yellow or red onion may be used. Then you will need to add 1-2 teaspoons salt, and you can base that on your preference. Be sure to not use too much salt, or the salsa will taste very salty. Then mince 2-3 garlic cloves and add them to your mixture. Finish off the salsa mix with ½ cup of vinegar, white distilled vinegar works best, but you may substitute with another favorite of yours. Once you have all the ingredients in a large pot bring the mixture to a boil and continue boiling it for 5 minutes.

Now your salsa mixture is prepared and you are ready to place the mixture into the jars. Remove each jar one by one and fill it with the salsa. Place the lid and band on the jar and tighten just till you feel the pull. You can then place each jar onto the canning rack that should be elevated over simmering water in the boiling water canner. Once all the jars are on the rack, lower it into the water. You will need the water to cover the jar with an extra 2 inches of boiling water on the top. If you need more water, add boiling water to reach the desired level. Bring the water to a full boil. Place the lid on the canner and boil the water for 20 minutes.

Allow the water to cool for about 15 minutes and then remove the jars and place them on a towel to dry. Do not disturb the band and lid after preserving. Allow the jars to fully cool for about 24 hours. You can then test the seal and if the seal is tight, you can place the jars in your pantry and use them as you need!

I love home made salsa, and I'm sure you will too. There are so many varieties of salsa recipes, you can try this one or any other that looks delicious to you! Tomatoes fresh from the garden work the best and the salsa will have a delicious fresh taste to it. Grab some tortilla chips and a bowl of salsa and a party will be born!