A staple condiment in their house, Shirley earned her first Sweepstakes award at the Iron County Fair for this salsa. She loves using a combination of colorful sweet peppers, such as bell peppers, pimientos, and gypsy peppers, for more variety in flavor and appearance. And Shirley’s family likes it hot, so she adds a few unseeded serrano and cayenne peppers to the hot pepper mix and increases the proportion of Anaheim peppers so the heat doesn’t become nuclear.
MAKES: ABOUT 7 PINT JARS
INGREDIENTS:
- 10 cups cored and chopped tomatoes, preferably beefsteak (6 to 7 pounds tomatoes)
- 5 cups chopped onions (6 to 7 medium onions)
- 5 cups seeded and chopped sweet peppers, such as bell or banana peppers (7 to 8 medium peppers)
- 3 cups seeded and finely chopped hot peppers, such as a combination of Anaheim and jalapeño peppers (about 2 pounds peppers)
- 3 cups chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 1⁄2 cups cider vinegar
- 1 whole head of garlic, finely chopped
- 4 1⁄2 teaspoons table salt
INSTRUCTIONS:
- COMBINE:
- In an 8-quart stainless steel stockpot, combine the tomatoes, onions, sweet peppers, hot peppers, cilantro, vinegar, garlic, and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat.
- JAR:
- Ladle the salsa into hot jars, leaving ½-inch headspace. Remove any air bubbles. Wipe the jar rims and threads with a clean, damp paper towel. Apply hot lids and screw bands.
- PROCESS:
- Process pint jars in a water bath canner for 25 minutes (see p. 34 for instructions). Remove from the water bath canner and let cool for 12 to 24 hours.
- STORE:
- Check the seals and remove the screw bands. Store jars in a cool, dry, dark place for up to 1 year.
