Smoky Chipotle Salsa for Canning
Yesterday was a big day for our house, I successfully canned my first batch of salsa and it was only the second time I’ve ever canned anything (the first time in 12-15 years!). Phew! {Deep Breath} It was slightly stressful, messy, and took a long time, but I managed to get it done! Now, I don’t expect that it will be as stressful and messy for everyone (I am a particularly messy cook), but I will try to add my most helpful tips so it’s not as stressful for you.
And, the important part…I’m 90% happy with the flavor of my finished salsa. I was 100% happy, but altered it slightly and made it a little on the sweet side for my personal preference. However, I will give you the recipe I used to get it 100% and I will let you decide if you want to add more sugar. As I’ve mentioned before, salsa is so much based on personal preference, someone else may think the finished salsa was perfect!
The recipe I adapted from was here and she does a great job of explaining how to can and shows lots of great pictures along the way. Our garden has produced a TON of cherry tomatoes this year but no large tomatoes, so I used cherry tomatoes for this salsa, which is why it took me a lot longer! Roma tomatoes would probably work best, with a couple large, super sweet, garden fresh tomatoes for added flavor. As much as I love to have a recipe to follow, I have learned from my husband that guestimating when cooking is definitely okay too!
I started by roasting halved cherry tomatoes to get the skins to peel off easily and some I roasted for a lot longer (400 for 40 minutes) and left the skins on to really bring out the sweeter, roasted flavors. I felt like I wanted a little more of the “fire-roasted tomato” flavor in this salsa. I also added my secret ingredient, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce for a smoky, roasted flavor. I just love the restaurant salsa, that makes you want to pick up the bowl and just drink it…NOT that I’ve ever thought about doing that!!
So I hope you enjoy this salsa recipe as much as I do, and I know I will keep making it and perfecting it for years to come!
| Prep Time | 1-2 hours |
| Cook Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
quarts
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- 4-5 quarts Ripe Tomatoes I used cherry tomateoes, but Roma or a larger variety would also work great
- 3 cups Chopped Shallots or Onion
- 1 1/2 cups Chopped Green Bell Pepper Red or Yellow would work too!
- 5 Jalapenos (remove seeds for mild, leave seeds in for spicy) I used 3 jalapenos with no seeds and 2 with seeds for a medium spicy
- 7 cloves Garlic (finely minced)
- 2 Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Ground Cumin
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
- 1/3 cup Chopped Fresh Cilantro
- 1-2 Tablespoons Canning or Pickling Salt non-iodine added sea salt works too
- 1/8-1/4 cup sugar I would start with 1/8 cup and adjust to taste, after all the ingredients have been combined
- 3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 can (approx 15 oz) Tomato Sauce
Ingredients
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- Halve the tomatoes and place cut side down on a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast at 400-425 for 3-7 minutes, or until the peel starts to curl. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, then remove peels, place in a colander to remove any excess liquid and chop to the desired size.
- Chop, dice, or mince the remaining vegetables and add ALL the ingredients to a large stockpot. Mix together well, and then heat to boiling. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Fill sterilized canning jars with salsa up to 1/2 inch from the top. Wipe the rim of the jar clean and seal with a lid and ring.
- Place jars in a boiling water bath with the lids down. Boil for 15 minutes and then carefully remove. Set up-right and let jars cool to room temperature. When the jars cool down, you will hear a popping sound of the jars sealing. Once cooled, test the jars to make sure they are sealed by pushing down on the center of the lid. If you are able to push down on the lids, then they did NOT seal properly and need to be refrigerated or re-processed.
