Salsa Verde - a.k.a. Green Tomato Salsa

 

Salsa Verde from my own garden! This is a mild salsa that is wonderful with chips and also great to flavor meats in the crockpot. I like to add it to chicken or pork roast and then use the meat in burritos or enchiladas. It is also good added to white chicken chili in place of the peppers or green chilies called for in the recipe. It is so simple now that I have jars waiting on my pantry shelves. Plus, wouldn't they make festive holiday gifts? (And to think that the main ingredient is something that most people would just throw away.)

The end of the garden always means some green tomatoes. Now you have a wonderful option of something you can do with them so they don't go to waste. Green tomatoes don't require any peeling either so they chop up so fast!

Chop everything and combine it all in a large saucepan.

I love the convenience of already minced garlic -

Add spices - 

Bring to a boil and simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Ladle into warm jars - remember that hot liquid into a cold jar means broken glass quite often. Just turn your oven barely on to about 100 degrees and set your bottles in there while you are simmering your salsa. Place the caps on top and process pints in a boiling water bath for 15 min if your elevation is less than 1000 ft and for 20 minutes of your elevation is higher.

I hope your family enjoys this as much as we do!

Salsa Verde (Green Tomato Salsa)

5 cups chopped green tomatoes or tomatillos

1½ cups seeded, chopped anaheim peppers

½ cup seeded, finely chopped jalapeño peppers

4 cups chopped onions

1 cup bottled lemon or lime juice

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Chop all ingredients in a food processor and mix together with the seasonings in a large saucepan. Heat until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Ladle into warm pint jars. Process in a boiling water bath for 20 minutes.

Safety note: Be sure to wear plastic or rubber gloves when working with the peppers and do not touch your face. Pepper oil in the eyes is awful! 

This recipe has been approved by the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Do not alter the amounts of tomatoes, peppers, onions, or lemon juice. You can adjust the spices, but any other alteration may result in a product that is not acidic enough to be safely canned at home.