A tequila infused Plum Habanero Salsa, preserved using the water bath canning method. The ripe plums mellow the heat of the habanero peppers to create a unique and delicious salsa. Step by step water bath canning tips included!
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I’m very into preserving summer fruit bounties at home right now, in the form of salsa. I canned Roasted Tomato Peach Salsa last month, and followed that up with this tequila infused Plum Habanero Salsa.
So habaneros….. yes, theses little orange peppers are spicy and quite high on the Scoville scale. But the fresh, sweet plums and heirloom tomatoes absorb some of the habanero’s heat. They have such great flavor that you’re actually able to enjoy in this plum salsa by mellowing their bite.
This recipe from my friends at Ball® Canning is simple to make – the biggest time commitment is simply chopping the ingredients! The ingredient list is short, and includes:
plums
tomatoes
habanero peppers
garlic
red onion
lime juice
There’s a surprising ingredient too – TEQUILA! You probably like to drink tequila with chips and salsa, but have you ever added it into your favorite recipe? It isn’t overpowering – just the right amount of interesting to keep you coming back for more. It really sets this salsa apart!
How to water-bath can habanero salsa:
Chop all of the vegetables, besides tomatoes.
Core and cut tomatoes in half, then roast for 30 minutes.
Combine all ingredients and simmer on stovetop for 20 minutes.
Heat your sterilized Ball® Pint Jars in your Ball Canner with rack, and keep them in there until ready to jar the salsa.
Once salsa is ready, fill jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace.
Attach lids and bands, and process in water bath canner.
You’ll have 4 pints of Plum Habanero Salsa to enjoy any time of year. Or gift a jar to someone special!
I especially love the Ball® Elite Sharing Jars because the longer neck allows you to easily add a tag or ribbon for personalizing it.
My favorite way to eat this salsa!
Besides mixing it with a batch of guacamole, I love to swirl it into greek yogurt (full fat) or sour cream, then top with frizzled chickpeas, fresh herbs, and lots of lime. It’s cooling, refreshing, and satisfying. It’s also super delicious on pork tacos.
This spicy plum habanero salsa is infused with tequila for a unique and delicious twist! The tomatoes are roasted to give this salsa a tasty smoky flavor. Uses the water bath canning method.
2teaspoonscoriander seeds,toasted and crushed (or 1 teaspoon ground coriander)
3habanero peppers,minced
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Halve tomatoes and place on a baking sheet cut side down. Roast 20 minutes then turn tomatoes over and roast an additional 10 minutes. Let cool. Slip skins off, then roughly chop.
Prepare boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready to use, do not boil. Wash lids in warm soapy water and set aside with bands.
Combine tomatoes with all remaining ingredients except tequila, in a stainless steel pot. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to simmer, cook stirring frequently until plums soften and salsa thickens, about 20 minutes. Take off heat and stir in tequila.
Ladle hot salsa into a hot jar leaving a ½ inch headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rim. Center lid on jar and apply band, adjust to fingertip tight. Place jar in boiling water canner. Repeat until all jars are filled.
Process jars 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Turn off heat, remove lid, let jars stand 5 minutes. Remove jars and cool 12-24 hours. Check lids for seal, they should not flex when center is pressed.
Do You Have To Cook Salsa Before Canning? Yes, otherwise, if you can raw or fresh salsa, you will have to process it for a longer time than cooked salsa. This will take much longer, so it is better to cook the salsa before canning.
If you have a large enough pot to use for water bath canning salsa, use that. If you need to buy something no matter what, I highly recommend a pressure canner. While water bath canning salsa can be done safely, the recipe and the process have to be exactly right or you could get very, very sick.
Fill the hot salsa into prepared hot jars, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. If needed, remove air bubbles and re-adjust headspace to ½-inch. Wipe rims of jars with a dampened clean paper towel.
You must add acid to canned salsa because the natural acidity may not be high enough. Commonly used acids are vinegar and bottled lemon juice. Lemon juice is more acidic than vinegar and has less effect on flavor.
Once the chile peppers and tomatoes have been cooked and prepped, all of the salsa ingredients go into a large pot and simmered for 10 minutes. Ladle the salsa into your sterilized canning jars, seal, and place in a water bath for 15 minutes.
All varieties of salsa without added lemon juice tested above 4.6 and a risk for botulism. This research explains why an acid must be added to tomatoes when home canning them to lower the pH and prevent botulism.
Water must cover jars by 1 inch. Adjust heat to medium-high, cover canner, and bring water to a rolling boil. Process pint jars and half pint jars for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude.
Pour ¼ cup bottled lemon or lime juice for each clean pint canning jar. Pour in hot salsa ingredients leaving ½ inch headspace. Attach two-piece canning lid. Invert jar several times to mix salsa and lemon/lime juice.
If too little headspace is allowed, the food may expand and bubble out when air is being forced out from under the lid during processing. The bubbling food may leave a deposit on the rim of the jar or the seal of the lid and prevent the jar from sealing properly.
"When air bubbles are not removed, the air trapped by the food will essentially add to the headspace. Too much headspace can lead to seal failures." Opt for wooden or plastic tools (like Ball's official "bubble freer," shown here) when shifting the contents to remove headspace.
If there is too much canning headspace, the processing time called for in the recipe may not be long enough to drive out the air in the jar. More air in the mason jar means more oxygen is present to discolor the food and promote rancidity in fats.
For a fresh salsa (pico de gallo) straining the juice from the tomatoes seems to work really well. But for the thickness I was going for the key was experimenting with Tomato Paste/Cooking the salsa. I am able to get a much thicker salsa that I enjoy much more.
Roma Tomatoes are a popular choice for salsa-making due to their dense and meaty texture, small number of seeds, and full-of-flavor tanginess. Variations of this tomato are sometimes called “plum” or “paste” tomatoes. Red Beefsteak Tomatoes are another favorite for those who favor a juicier tomato in their salsa.
Separation is another visually disappointing issue that does not affect safety. When tomatoes are cut or crushed before heating, exposure to the air activates a natural enzyme that breaks down pectin, which causes the liquids and solids to separate.
Leave your ingredients raw for a salsa with a bright, refreshing taste. Raw salsa is also known as "salsa cruda." 2. Cook the salsa, and you'll trade bright, fresh flavors for something deeper, sweeter.
Easy skin removal: By boiling tomatoes, you can easily remove their skins, allowing for a smoother and more enjoyable salsa texture. Enhanced flavor: Boiling concentrates the natural flavors of the tomatoes, resulting in a more vibrant and delicious salsa.
Because the acidity level of tomatoes varies greatly, more acid must be added to produce a safe salsa. Commercially bottled lemon or lime juice or 5% acidity vinegar are Commercially bottled lemon juice or 5% acidity vinegar are used.
Boiling removes the oxygen remaining in the jar, which helps to form a tight seal between the lid and the rim. The heat used for this method of canning is sufficient to kill vegetative bacterial cells found in the food. Only high-acid food with a pH of 4.6 or less can be processed using the boiling water bath method.
Introduction: My name is Kareem Mueller DO, I am a vivacious, super, thoughtful, excited, handsome, beautiful, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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