I watched yesterday a 5 brand taste test of chili salsa for dips. El Paso
won out for the jarred type. One thing they mentioned was that one salsa
was too watery. When I make salsa it is ALWAYS watery and I expect it to be
that way, but I started wondering what is that ingredient they put in jarred
salsa that makes it THICK.

The tasters didn't like the Mexican brand, which looked thin and more like
the kind of make. It would be interesting to know the background of the
testers' food experience, as well.
Thanks,
Dee Dee

Dee Randall wrote:
> I watched yesterday a 5 brand taste test of chili salsa for dips. El Paso
> won out for the jarred type. One thing they mentioned was that one salsa
> was too watery. When I make salsa it is ALWAYS watery and I expect it to be
> that way, but I started wondering what is that ingredient they put in jarred
> salsa that makes it THICK.

Usually says right on the jar; tomato paste.

Sheldon

See corn starch on the label?

TexGEOas

"Dee Randall" > wrote in message
...
>I watched yesterday a 5 brand taste test of chili salsa for dips. El Paso
>won out for the jarred type. One thing they mentioned was that one salsa
>was too watery. When I make salsa it is ALWAYS watery and I expect it to
>be that way, but I started wondering what is that ingredient they put in
>jarred salsa that makes it THICK.
>
> The tasters didn't like the Mexican brand, which looked thin and more like
> the kind of make. It would be interesting to know the background of the
> testers' food experience, as well.
> Thanks,
> Dee Dee
>
Are you canning/cooking a salsa or making fresh for eating that day?

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dee Randall" > wrote in message
> ...
>>I watched yesterday a 5 brand taste test of chili salsa for dips. El Paso
>>won out for the jarred type. One thing they mentioned was that one salsa
>>was too watery. When I make salsa it is ALWAYS watery and I expect it to
>>be that way, but I started wondering what is that ingredient they put in
>>jarred salsa that makes it THICK.
>>
>> The tasters didn't like the Mexican brand, which looked thin and more
>> like the kind of make. It would be interesting to know the background of
>> the testers' food experience, as well.
>> Thanks,
>> Dee Dee
>>
> Are you canning/cooking a salsa or making fresh for eating that day?
The salsa I make is always for eating fresh the same day.
Is it the canning itself that makes it thick?
Dee Dee

"Dee Randall" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Dee Randall" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>I watched yesterday a 5 brand taste test of chili salsa for dips. El
>>>Paso won out for the jarred type. One thing they mentioned was that one
>>>salsa was too watery. When I make salsa it is ALWAYS watery and I expect
>>>it to be that way, but I started wondering what is that ingredient they
>>>put in jarred salsa that makes it THICK.
>>>
>>> The tasters didn't like the Mexican brand, which looked thin and more
>>> like the kind of make. It would be interesting to know the background
>>> of the testers' food experience, as well.
>>> Thanks,
>>> Dee Dee
>>>
>> Are you canning/cooking a salsa or making fresh for eating that day?
> The salsa I make is always for eating fresh the same day.
> Is it the canning itself that makes it thick?
> Dee Dee
I was just wondering. Cooking the ingredients would drive liquids out into
the sauce, but that is taken care of by simmering the extra liquid away. I
don't can or make cooked salsa, I make it to be used that day. You want to
use tomatoes that are ripe but still firm and you want to seed the tomatoes
before chopping. Very ripe tomatoes that are softer to the touch release
much more juice to the product and you don't want that. Also, seeding the
tomatoes eliminates a lot of watery material. Don't salt the salsa heavily
as that will draw out the juices. And don't use a lot of vinegar or lime or
lemon juice in the salsa. These steps should give you a salsa that is
mostly chunky with very little extra liquid. I imagine--just guessing,
never done it--that if you were to seed some fresh Roma( Italian type)
tomatoes and give them a spin in a food processor, you could get a thicker
"juice" that you could use in the chopped part of the salsa and that might
be more like some of the commercial fresh salsas.
Janet

"Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Dee Randall" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Janet Bostwick" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> "Dee Randall" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>>I watched yesterday a 5 brand taste test of chili salsa for dips. El
>>>>Paso won out for the jarred type. One thing they mentioned was that one
>>>>salsa was too watery. When I make salsa it is ALWAYS watery and I
>>>>expect it to be that way, but I started wondering what is that
>>>>ingredient they put in jarred salsa that makes it THICK.
>>>>
>>>> The tasters didn't like the Mexican brand, which looked thin and more
>>>> like the kind of make. It would be interesting to know the background
>>>> of the testers' food experience, as well.
>>>> Thanks,
>>>> Dee Dee
>>>>
>>> Are you canning/cooking a salsa or making fresh for eating that day?
>> The salsa I make is always for eating fresh the same day.
>> Is it the canning itself that makes it thick?
>> Dee Dee
> I was just wondering. Cooking the ingredients would drive liquids out
> into the sauce, but that is taken care of by simmering the extra liquid
> away. I don't can or make cooked salsa, I make it to be used that day.
> You want to use tomatoes that are ripe but still firm and you want to seed
> the tomatoes before chopping. Very ripe tomatoes that are softer to the
> touch release much more juice to the product and you don't want that.
> Also, seeding the tomatoes eliminates a lot of watery material. Don't
> salt the salsa heavily as that will draw out the juices. And don't use a
> lot of vinegar or lime or lemon juice in the salsa. These steps should
> give you a salsa that is mostly chunky with very little extra liquid. I
> imagine--just guessing, never done it--that if you were to seed some fresh
> Roma( Italian type) tomatoes and give them a spin in a food processor, you
> could get a thicker "juice" that you could use in the chopped part of the
> salsa and that might be more like some of the commercial fresh salsas.
> Janet

Thank you, Janet. Mainly I was wondering what

>>>>>"When I make salsa it is ALWAYS watery and I expect
>>>>it to be that way, but I started wondering what is that ingredient they
>>>>put in jarred salsa that makes it THICK.

But for the salsa I make fresh, I do use fresh Roma (tho not all the time)
and I do seed my tomatoes, and most times I do spin it in a food processor -
it always gets frothy, but does calm down after a while. I don't mind thin
salsa, but from the testing, I was assuming that people prefer it thicker
and I am wondering what makes the jarred salsa thick, unless it is cooked
until it's thick and some starch added.

My DH is really negative about seeds in salsa, so I try to save the juice
and seeds and put thru a strainer, but I'm always amazed at how little juice
I get. I'll throw it in something I'm cooking, just for the vitamins, but
hardly worth saving.
Dee Dee