How do I preserve my homemade Salsa?

toffee65

I've just made a very large batch of homemade salsa, just like the doritos one. I have 5 doritos size jars and a couple of tupperware pots full. The pots won't last the weekend as I got a bit of a bargain at our local garage of a box of 10 bags of nachos for 1.79 But the jars have so far been sterilized and hot (as in temp) has been placed in the jars already and I just wondered should I seal them now while quite warm?

Has anyone else made this kind of Salsa and have you kept it for a while in jars?

thriftlady_2

I'd freeze it

Does it have a lot of vinegar and/or sugar in (sorry I'm not familiar with Doritos Salsa)? Is it a recipe designed to be preserved in jars?

If it is just fresh vegetables and spices than it isn't going to keep for any length of time unless you freeze it.

nixinix

can't help with the preserving, sorry, but could you share your recipe??

toffee65

nixinix wrote: »

can't help with the preserving, sorry, but could you share your recipe??

No problems.

I did actually post this a while ago. Thing with this recipe it tastes better than the stuff from doritos and my kids love it.I started out with having an empty jar of Doritos salsa dip and thought wonder if I could make this myself...so I had a bash.

1/2 chopped onion
(roughly) just under a quarter of red and green (or yellow) pepper chopped small.
small amount (pinch)of chopped chilli peppers (I have some frozen shopped ready)

fry this off until soft in olive oil.

Then add...

1 tsp demerara sugar
2 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp chilli powder
tin of tomatoes...drain off and just use the tomatoes chopped up. I also added some fresh peeled tomatoes (4).

Simmer until everything is soft and some of the liquid is reduced so you have thick sauce. Pour into your empty Doritos dip jar and leave to cool then chill.

Served with Lidls cheesy tortilla chips.

It worked

I do now though add very finely chopped birdseye chillis (usually buy them when I find them reduced to 10p and chop and freeze) Just a few pinches will do. Also just a touch of cornflour make the sauce mcu thicker, obvious to use really as you have to dollop it on Sorry I'm editting this again but I don't bother draining toms anymore as I use the cornflour now and I don't bother with the fresh toms either, this keeps the cost down as much as possible. To be honest it's kind of an experimental thing and I just add stuff as it cooks when I'm tasting it.

BTW today for a guide how much I made I used 3 onions/ 3 peppers/ 4 tins of tomatoes

thriftlady_2

No, the only way this will keep is in the freezer. I imagine it will freeze well with little loss of texture -it's a bit like a pasta sauce after all.

kitschkitty

I would think it's go watery when defrosted if frozen, oh just read you used tinned toms in it (sorry that just sounds horrid to me lol) in which case I guess it's freeze fine, but unless it contained a lot of vinegar you couldn't keep it as a preserve, only in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 weeks max.

toffee65

thriftlady wrote: »

No, the only way this will keep is in the freezer. I imagine it will freeze well with little loss of texture -it's a bit like a pasta sauce after all.

I have a serious problem with freezing it though

I can't get my hands on it when I want it....and I'd end up braking all my nachos trying to dip before it's defrosted

toffee65

kitschkitty wrote: »

I would think it's go watery when defrosted if frozen, oh just read you used tinned toms in it (sorry that just sounds horrid to me lol) in which case I guess it's freeze fine, but unless it contained a lot of vinegar you couldn't keep it as a preserve, only in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 weeks max.

2 to 4 weeks you reckon? Well in that case it will be fine as I can't see it lasting that long in this house then. I was thinking it may go on the turn after a couple of days.

thriftlady_2

toffee65 wrote: »

I have a serious problem with freezing it though

I can't get my hands on it when I want it....and I'd end up braking all my nachos trying to dip before it's defrosted

:think: :think: Mmm... I don't think you can get round that, unless you can get hold of whatever preservative Doritos use

Bunker

Hi,

I made something similar and had a go at home canning. Get a jar like a jam jar, which has a seal on the lid, boil this and the lid for a few minutes to sterilise it, add the hot dip, seal tightly with the lid and then boil for 10 minutes or so (covered with water). Allow to cool.

When you open the lid you should hear the vacuum breaking with a satisfying plop.

Just for added reassurance I kept my jars in the fridge. Lasts at least a month. My batch did not last any longer as it was too tasty!

champys

Bunker wrote: »

Hi,

I made something similar and had a go at home canning. Get a jar like a jam jar, which has a seal on the lid, boil this and the lid for a few minutes to sterilise it, add the hot dip, seal tightly with the lid and then boil for 10 minutes or so (covered with water). Allow to cool.

When you open the lid you should hear the vacuum breaking with a satisfying plop.

Just for added reassurance I kept my jars in the fridge. Lasts at least a month. My batch did not last any longer as it was too tasty!

I do a similar thing with the roast tomato puree I make from my tomato glut in the summer - and I do the canning in the pressure cooker. You do have to add a little salt and lemon juice (or citric acid) to each jar, though. It keeps perfectly even out of the fridge. Have started doing this because the roast tomatoes were beginning to take up too much space in the freezer, and I use them in any recipe calling for tinned or chopped tomatoes, so I go through lots of it.