SUBMITTED BY
ERIN MICHELS
The original author of this homemade salsa recipe is a mystery, but what is known is that it came from the small town of Soudan, MN and was passed along to my Grandpa Joe many decades ago. What made the recipe extra special is that many of the ingredients came from his own garden. (Yes, all 14 CUPS of tomatoes.) He then passed it along to my mom, who continued the tradition.
Every September when I was growing up, my mom would dedicate full days to cooking and canning batches of salsa—enough for our family of four to get our salsa fix until the next year. She started the prep process of cutting all the ingredients in the morning as my sister and I were leaving for school. By the time we got home, there would be cans lining the counters. And if we got lucky, there would be some left over in the roasting pan, still warm, to sneak a bite (or five).
SERVES
A family of 4 for months, or a whole tailgate party(~16 cups)
• 14 tomatoes(cut into chunks)
• 3 onions(chopped)
• 2 green bell peppers(chopped)
• 6 stalks of celery(chopped)
• 2-4 oz canned green chiles(mild, chopped)
• 1-12 oz jarred jalapenos(chopped with juice)
• 1/2 tbsp chili powder(could use up to 1 1/2 tbsp)
• Cilantro(chopped, to taste)
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp canning salt
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 2 garlic cloves(minced)
• 2 cans of tomato soup
• 2-6 oz canned tomato paste
01 Blanche tomatoes in boiling water for 1—15 seconds and remove tomato skin. Chop the tomatoes, onions, bell pepper, celery, cilantro. Combine into a large pot. Add green chiles and jalapeno peppers. Add chili powder, sugar, canning salt, white vinegar, and garlic. Stir until fully mixed. At this point you can decant some of the mixture for pico de gallo, if desired.
02 Bring the first set of ingredients to a boil on a stove top. Do NOT use high heat. Stir frequently so it won’t burn and stick to the bottom of the pot.
03 Add the tomato soup and paste to the mixture, stir until combined.
04 Transfer the mixture to a roasting pan. Cook in oven for 2 hours, covered at 350 degrees. Stir mixture every 30-45 minutes. If you like a thicker salsa, you can remove cover at the 2-hour mark and continue to roast for another 10-15 minutes.
05 Pair with your favorite tortilla chips or top onto the recipe of your choice.
06 Pack in sterilized jars if not eating right away.