Recipe
Colorado Chili Red Salsa
Colorado Chili Red Salsa is my version of Patti Jinich’s Salsa Roja de Chile Colorado. It’s a dark, rich, smooth sauce that is perfect on enchiladas, huevos rancheros, or chilaquiles with fried eggs. It’s also great just to eat with chips.
The method for this recipe is interesting to me as the veggies are boiled, blended, then shocked in oil and simmered. I make it with many more dried chiles than Patti’s recipe calls for because I love the richness and color they bring to this salsa. Also, while her version calls for the onions to be chopped and added raw to the blender, I prefer to quarter and boil them with the rest of the veggies, so they aren’t quite as pungent.
I make huge batches of this salsa and can it in pint jars to use throughout the year.
Makes about 8 pints
The method for this salsa is interesting. The veggies are boiled then blended then shocked in oil and simmered. I’ll show you how to do everything in this video.
Ingredients
7 pounds ripe tomatoes (about 13 large)
2 T kosher salt
5-20 dried Colorado or guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded (I also frequently add a few Anchos)
1 T fresh ground pepper
2 heads garlic, cloves peeled
¼ c vegetable oil or olive oil
2 large onions, peeled and quartered
Instructions
Step 1
Wash the tomatoes and place them in a large pot with the chiles, garlic, and onions. Cover them with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes until the tomatoes are a bit mushy and the chiles are soft.
Step 2
While the vegetables simmer, mix together the salt and pepper in a small ramekin and set aside.
Step 3
Using a slotted spoon or a spider strainer, transfer the vegetables in batches to a blender, add some of the salt and pepper and puree until smooth.
Step 4
Add the onions and about half of the lemon juice from the onions to the herb mixture. Sprinkle with fresh ground pepper, cumin, red pepper flakes, and the olive oil and toss to combine. Taste; add more lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste.
Step 5
Pour into hot, sterilized pint jars, top with lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
Step 6
Remove from the canner, cool, and check seals. Can be stored in a cool dry place for up to a year.
Colorado Chili Red Salsa
Ingredients
- 7 pounds ripe tomatoes about 13-14 large
- 5-20 dried Colorado or guajillo chiles stemmed and seeded (I also frequently add a few Anchos)
- 2 heads garlic cloves peeled
- 2 large onions peeled and quartered
- 2 T kosher salt
- 1 T fresh ground pepper
- ¼ c vegetable oil or olive oil
Instructions
- Wash the tomatoes and place them in a large pot with the chiles, garlic, and onions. Cover them with water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 – 20 minutes until the tomatoes are a bit mushy and the chiles are soft.
- While the vegetables simmer, mix together the salt and pepper in a small ramekin and set aside.
- Using a slotted spoon or a spider strainer, transfer the vegetables in batches to a blender, add some of the salt and pepper and puree until smooth.
- Once all the veggies have been processed, heat the oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. When the oil is hot, pour in the salsa, bring it to a simmer, and cook it for 10-15 minutes until the sauce begins to thicken and the color deepens.
- Pour into hot, sterilized pint jars, top with lids, and process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.
- Remove from the canner, cool, and check seals. Can be stored in a cool dry place for up to a year.