Hot Salsa

This is a serious canning-season salsa recipe. Four quarts of peeled tomatoes, a full cup of chopped jalapeños, sweet bell peppers, a banana pepper, and Vidalia onion all go into an eight-quart pot for a 30-minute boil that yields about 13 pints of thick, chunky salsa.

The three-pepper combination gives this real depth of heat. Jalapeños bring the sharp, front-of-the-mouth burn. The banana pepper adds a mild, tangy sweetness. And the sweet bell pepper rounds everything out with body and color. A full cup of jalapeños means this earns its “hot” label honestly.

Cornstarch slurry stirred in during the last 10 minutes thickens the salsa so it clings to a chip instead of running off like tomato juice. This is the difference between salsa that sits nicely on a chip and salsa that soaks through a tortilla.

White vinegar and canning salt make this shelf-stable when properly processed. The vinegar adds necessary acidity for safe canning and a bright tang that balances the sugar and oregano.

Kitchen Tips

• Peel the tomatoes by blanching: score the bottom, dip in boiling water for 30 seconds, then transfer to ice water. The skins slip right off.
• Add the cornstarch slurry slowly while stirring to prevent lumps. A lumpy salsa is a sad salsa.
• Process filled jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, or freeze in freezer-safe containers if you prefer to skip canning.
• Taste for heat before jarring. You can always add more jalapeños, but you can’t take them out.

Variations

• Add a handful of chopped fresh cilantro to each jar before sealing for a fresher flavor.
• Replace half the jalapeños with serranos for sharper, more intense heat.
• Stir in roasted garlic for a deeper, mellower savory backbone.