Home Made Salsa + Recipe

[HCD]

Well this year's tomatoes are done; we had a bad year due to the early rains, lots of rot on the vines. But we did manage to get enough to put by 28 qts. of juice and 38 pints of the best salsa we have ever made. Now for the mouth watering part. I learned this 20 years ago when I used to do a lot of whole hog cooking. Now I do it in the oven on a smaller scale.

1 pork loin cut to size for your family or guests. With a knife puncture a hole 3 inches deep in several places. Now crush garlic cloves and onion and insert into the holes, sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Now wrap the whole thing in alum. foil and put it in the fridge overnight. The next day open the foil and pour a quart of salsa on the whole thing and wrap it back up. Into the oven for the appropriate time at 300 F. Low and slow is the way to go. I can just about garentee this will be the best pork you have ever had, the salsa will not be evident when done but it will give the roast the greatest flavor. You can do this with any meat but I think pork is the best. Try it with a chicken for a change up or a beef roast for a southwest type of beef. You don't have to rest it overnight you can just put it together and toss it in the oven but the overnight rest gives the garlic a chance to get into the roast.

 

[DeathGrip]

Sounds real good,How do you make your salsa?

 

[HCD]

Sounds real good,How do you make your salsa?

Ha Ha, have to laugh cause it's different every year depending what is still growing at the end of the growing season. After we finish combining beans and corn picking and take the 4th hay cutting then it's time to work on the back yard garden. We use a store bought season mix and of course the described amount of vinegar and dill then it's tomatoes and whatever kind of peppers we grew that year tomati'oes, onion, garlic, all garden grown it's never the same. I almost put the last okra in it this year but the wife was having no part of that. We use the water bath method of put up. We like to put up enough of any 2 or 3 things to last for a couple years then next year grow something else 2 or 3 years worth. That way it keeps the garden soil fresh and alive. You don't carry over disease from one year to the next. Last year we put up enough green beans to last 3 years we will not have to stoop and bend over to pick them for 2 more summers. Sweet corn goes in the last 8 planter boxes after you have planted a field, in the middle somewhere away from road thieves and hopefully the coons. So to answer you, it's never the same just some years it's better than others. That still does not take away from the recipe for pork it's still great. Back in the day I think I got the best result with the cheapest store bought stuff. You do not have to use the expensive brand name stuff.

 

[DeathGrip]

I guess I'll use store bought.I don't grow a large garden,just a few tomatoes and peppers when the weather cools down a little.
I do have fruit trees around my small yard.Biggest is a Mulberry then my Keylime and Barbatos(sp) Cherry.I also keep a couple of Blue Berries around.
Thanks for the Loin idea,I'll try that one for sure.

 

[reerc]

we had a bad year due to the early rains, lots of rot on the vines. But we did manage to get enough to put by 28 qts. of juice and 38 pints of the best salsa we have ever made.

I'm curious what you consider a good year?

 

[bitstream]

I guess I'll use store bought.I don't grow a large garden,just a few tomatoes and peppers when the weather cools down a little.
I do have fruit trees around my small yard.Biggest is a Mulberry then my Keylime and Barbatos(sp) Cherry.I also keep a couple of Blue Berries around.
Thanks for the Loin idea,I'll try that one for sure.

Salsa? The best ever?

Easy enough:

1 16 oz can whole tomatoes
1 4 oz can jalapeno chiles**
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/7 tsp pepper


Combine the tomatoes, garlic powder, salt, and pepper into a blender, tap it a few times to make a chunky puree. Add in a tablespoon of jalapeno chiles at a time, tap the blender quickly to just blend it in and taste. Continue until the desired heat level is reached. Be sure not to over blend, you want it a bit chunky!

** I use a full jar of jalapenos and just add until it tastes right; every brand is different.


And, you can make some easy pico de gallo also:

3 ripe tomatoes, diced
1 onion, diced
2-4 Serrano chiles (to taste), diced finely
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 lemon (squeeze the juice our, be sure to not get seeds)
salt and pepper to taste

be sure to get Serrano peppers, NOT jalapeno!

 

[DeathGrip]

Cheers bitstream! I m tired of store bought stuff,seems like its all salt.
I can control that and maybe not have a heart attack.

 

[HCD]

I'm curious what you consider a good year?

Well don't let it be said I want to see you walk around curious. First that Good Year has to be taken in context, meteorologically that is. I guess you could say that the rain comes in time with our/my planting season. Dry till we get the crops in, then rain to get good germination. Then rain when the beans set pod, and when the corn is about to pollinate. Then dry when I take the first cutting of hay, then rain when it's in the barn. Repeat as necessary. This year we had 13 inches of rain in 30 days it caused a lot of problems in the tomato crop. It came just as the sets were put out.
Hope that answers your question, and glad I could tell you.

 

[bitstream]

Cheers bitstream! I m tired of store bought stuff,seems like its all salt.
I can control that and maybe not have a heart attack.

You can salt either recipe to taste, which is a good thing. I know both look pretty easy, but the results are great. I learned a few things when I was living in San Antonio for half my career. I've had a lot of people taste my salsa and my pico and complement them.

 

[P&R Fan]

I just made salsa tonight, although with store bought vegetables
This sounds like a really good way to cook a roast. Thanks!
Jim

 

[HCD]

I just made salsa tonight, although with store bought vegetables
This sounds like a really good way to cook a roast. Thanks!
Jim

Thanks. Back in the day when I used to drink beer and get around a lot; myself and a few friends used to compete with whole hog roasting, just among ourselves. We would do about 8 to 10 a year at our respective Conservation Clubs and private get togethers. Once one of the guys did one with sauerkraut. So I tried to outdo his and used salsa. When you wrap a whole hog in foil and keep the temp at around 200 F until you reach the desired temp you can pull it apart with your hands, no knife, no cutting. Take the leg bone tap it end first on the cutting board and the meat just falls off. The loin roast has been the way I still do it for my wife and I.

By the way I still do 2 or 3 a year and everybody just raves about it. If you get the hog cut down the center you can make one half with salsa. And the other traditional so you can use BBQ sauce or other sauce as you choose. Good luck with it I'm sure you will find it wonderfull.

Remember you do not taste the salsa the same as you would any other way, most folks dont even know what it is or how you made the great hog.

 

[enfield]

be sure to get Serrano peppers, NOT jalapeno!

In my experience, Serranos are hotter than jalapenos. I've never eaten hot Pico in a restaurant.

Do I need to go to better restaurants?

 

[bitstream]

In my experience, Serranos are hotter than jalapenos. I've never eaten hot Pico in a restaurant.

Do I need to go to better restaurants?

Serranos are hotter, but that is what should be in your pico. Just adjust the amount you put in until it's the right heat for you. I like it hot myself, but the rest of my family complains, so I keep it toned down for them.

I've found some of the best mexican restaurants are the "hole in the wall" type of places. One place I found in San Antonio didn't have anyone that spoke English; they had a dishwasher that could just speak enough words to translate our order; we pantomimed the rest and pointed

 

[P&R Fan]

Hey, HCD, thought I'd bring this thread back up and report I finally got around to trying this out and it was FANTASTIC!!! I bought a pretty good pork loin and followed your directions (with store bought veggies of course) and the whole family liked it. It's even better the next day on sandwiches.
Next I might try it on a beef roast. Thanks for posting it!
Jim