This Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa might just be a revelation to you. It’s a fantastic salsa, a blend of bright, tart tomatillos, jalapeno for a bit of bite & onion for depth, plus I’m giving you all my Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa secrets!
Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
There’s a little change-up to my Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa that’s pretty unique. You might notice while the color is green like most Tomatillo Salsas, this isn’t a bright green. It leans a bit toward the golden side and the salsa is just a bit thicker than some. That makes it a little better for dipping but really translates to mo’ flavah!
About Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa:
The flavor of my Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa is not only spot on but also has an intensity that most tomatillo salsas lack, and that comes from an extra step. See, when making tomatillo salsa, the tomatillos, and other veggies are roasted and then they’re blended. So that’s the time-honored and traditional way. And you can make this recipe that way. Just stop at that point and serve.
And yes that traditional way is good, but I really wanted my salsa just a bit thicker, not as brothy. Since I wanted my tomatillos, which I’d roasted with such care, to keep their freshness. I strained the whole works, poured all the juices in a pan, and reduced them. The smell, alone, when that sauce simmers will make you crazy, let alone the taste of this salsa
But I stepped away and came back to an almost a caramelly syrup in my pan. Of course, I just about freaked when I saw that syrupy substance! What had I done? But what started as a mistake, is now my go-to method to make my Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa. ! You can see why in the photos. It’s obviously a little thicker than most tomatillo salsas and that reduction added so much flavor.
A few of my other fave salsas. See links at the bottom of the post.
Making Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa:
Any Salsas might start out with a recipe, but even the most standard usually become a personal thing. Most people develop a kind of signature go-to method of tasting and doctoring to get their salsas just the way they like them. I like to make a lot of my salsas with a pinch of sugar, a sprinkle of salt, just a few dashes of vinegar to wake things up, and a little lime to finish it off. That extra little touch of sugar and vinegar intensifies the lime and give just a bit of sweet-sour tang that’s barely noticeable but makes such a difference.
As far as heat level? That’s another personal thing, right? I’ve learned that jalapenos vary a lot in intensity. They used to be kind of spicy, but in the past decade or so, it seems you never know what you might get, mild to very hot. So whenever I make Salsa, I buy several jalapenos and roast them up & peel them all at once. Then I can add a few (or as many) jalapenos as I want to my salsa, and bonus! I can easily make salsa at a whim because I have a stash of roasted jalapeno in the freezer. Freeze them solid, and then add them to a Ziploc.
Even with the variances in heat, I think a good rule of thumb is one jalapeno to a pound of tomatillos for very mild salsa, two for mild, three for medium, four for medium-hot and so on. I usually use four because I like a good bite. Your mileage may vary. Just FYI – this recipe is not tested for canning.
Roasted Jalapenos – I like to roast extra and freeze in small portions
Saving Money on Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa:
I’ve yet to find a better place to buy both the tomatillos and the jalapenos and now that I think about it, the onions for my Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa than Aldi. Really the prices are great.
As far as Jalapenos at Aldi, generally, they come in a small bag or a package, so you can’t buy just one or two like you can at the grocery store. If you follow my method of roasting them all and freezing them in packets of one or two, that’s not going to be an issue.
If you don’t have an Aldi unless you live on the west coast or somewhere in the southwest, you might be hard-pressed to find any tomatillos, let alone any on sale or at a stellar price. It’s likely you’ll just have to pay whatever the asking price is. They’re in season in Autumn, so the price will usually be better then and you might find great deals at a farmer’s market. But I think you’ll find that making your own will still be less than buying a jar and will be so much better!
Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
Fire Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: about 3 cups 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Cuisine: Mexican or Southwestern
Ingredients
- 2 pounds tomatillos, husks removed
- 2 to 8 jalapenos, to taste
- 2 large onions, skin on, halved
- 2 to 3 cloves garlic, skins on, optional
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 tablespoon vinegar or to taste
- lime juice, optional, to taste
Instructions
Place tomatoes, jalapenos, onion, and garlic on a lipped tray lined with aluminum foil. Arrange with the larger items on the edges and the smaller items lined down the center. The onion should be cut side down.
Place under broiler on high, and place tray five inches or so below, generally the second shelf down. Broil 10 to 15 minutes total, tending as needed. Roast until vegetables are slightly charred and the skin on the peppers blackened, turning as each side is done and removing each when all sides are charred. Add peppers to a bowl as they are finished, cover, and allow them to steam. Add the tomatillos and onion to another bowl. Cool until easy to handle. Reserve any juices on the sheet tray.
Remove stems from tomatillos and peppers and the seeds from the peppers if desired, working over a bowl to catch the juices. Remove skin and stem from onion and paper from garlic, if using. Add all vegetables to food processor, reserving any juices. Process to desired chunkiness, generally three or four short pulses. Remove to a strainer over the bowl to catch the juices, and set aside the tomatillo mixture.
Place all the juices that have been strained and any juices from the sheet tray or the bowl you’ve worked over and chicken stock in a pan. Heat over medium-high heat and reduce until there is about 1/2 inch of golden syrupy reduction in the bottom of the pan. Watch carefully toward the end, this goes quickly, several minutes at most.
Add the tomatillo mixture to the pan, stir to mix. Add vinegar, salt, and sugar. Add lime if desired. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Notes:
- If you broil extra jalapenos, you can taste for the level of heat – just add more if you want more and freeze the rest in small packets for later.
- This is not a recipe that has been checked for the proper acidity to safely can in a boiling water bath.
- If you like cilantro, add it in when the vegetables are pulsed.
Keywords: Appetizer, Condiments, Hot Peppers, Jalapeno, Mexican or Southwestern, Salsa, Spreads and Dips, tomatillos, Vinegar
But wait, there’s more!
Maybe you’d like to see a few of my other Salsas? Here’s just a few to whet your appetite! Check out my pages for both Appetizers, Starters & Munchies, and for Condiments & Sumpin’ Sumpins’.
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