Giving the gift of salsa
I'd love to gift homemade salsa as a gift this year. Problem: no canning equipment. So, a few questions:
Is this possible without making a huge investment in canning equipment?
If I just refrigerated it without properly canning it, how long would it last (safely, tastewise, etc)?
Question applies for both cooked and uncooked salsa.
Thank you!!
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10 Comments:
When I say canning, I mean being able to jar it properly....or, um, you know.
xaire at 5:02PM on 12/06/08
If we don't eat up all of whatever salsa I happen to make, what usually happens is that the next time I make Mexican food, I look at the salsa and there's fuzz growing on top. Can't say exactly how long that takes. Not a few days, but it doesn't last forever, that's for sure.
Even commercial salsas can get hairy if you don't use them fast enough. Why ketchup seems to last indefinately and salsa goes bad, I don't know, but it probably has something to do with preservatives along with the acidity of the product.
If you make it right before you give it away and you tell people that it needs to stay refrigerated AND eaten relatively quickly, you'll be fine. But I'd avoid giving it to people who don't eat a lot of salsa, unless you can find a recipe that is made specifically to avoid the fuzz problem.
dbcurrie at 5:20PM on 12/06/08
Well, if you make a salsa that involves cooking, then canning should be pretty easy via the boiling method.
Disclaimer: I've never canned anything myself, only watched my mom can stuff as a kid and read about other people doing canning.
nightowl at 5:31PM on 12/06/08
You can start with this website but you really should contact your local extension office for more details about canning in your area.
Luckily, there was a selection of salsa recipes right on the site!
I for one could never jar my salsa because it's not cooked. I only present it as a gift in quart sized jars and indicate on the jar that it is to be used within five days - max.
therealchiffonade at 5:49PM on 12/06/08
Look at homemade food gifts that are easy and awesome at http://ingredientsinc.wordpress.com
alisonlewis34 at 8:51PM on 12/06/08
I made & canned a bunch of salsa this summer, and every time we open a jar, I am thrilled with the results. I used ">this as a reference:
I used the recipe on page 8. The one caution that seemed to appear everywhere was that the acid level was critical in canning salsa, which means that not every salsa recipe can be canned safely.
But this is canned in just a hot-water bath, which doesn't require expensive equipment - just a big pot and a rack that will fit in the bottom of the pan to elevate the jars some.
I also found that a pair of canning tongs and a wide-mouth funnel were inexpensive but made the job much, much easier.
delishes at 1:17PM on 12/07/08
Sorry...I messed up the link for the reference. Here it is:
http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uga/sensational_salsa.pdf
delishes at 1:19PM on 12/07/08
Canning equipment doesn't have to be expensive, and as others have said, salsa is one of the easiest things to can. I try to get in a batch or two of peach salsa every summer for myself.
Just follow the directions and I think that everybody will be happier with the gift.
cmtigger at 2:57PM on 12/07/08
I can't help you on the canning part , but send a sample please of salsa lol?
pjracz10 at 6:25PM on 12/07/08
Based on these recommendations, I may give canning a try! So many gift foods I want to do this year (mostly to have the excuse of tasting them myself). Next stop: pralines. thanks all!
xaire at 6:37PM on 12/07/08