Grew up in brisket country and moved to pulled pork country, and I make both on a semi-regular basis. I've run an offset smoker, smoked over charcoal in a weber (shoutout to the snake method), but now mostly use a pellet smoker. I'll take good bbq made easy over slightly better bbq that I have to worry about ruining despite great efforts, come at me. But I use my smoker now to make salsa more frequently than anything else.
- On the smoker about about 180°F for 2 hours
- 2 lbs vine tomatoes, cored and halved
- 1 small white onion, quartered
- 1 small red onion, quartered
- 2 large jalapenos, halved and partially de-seeded
- 2 serranos, halved and partially de-seeded
- 1 poblano, halved and partially de-seeded (new addition)
- 5 cloves of garlic on a little square of aluminum foil
- 3 limes, halved (although not pictured in this batch)
- Non-smoked ingredients
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1 tbsp adobo seasoning
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp cumin
- 3 oz. tomato paste
- Large handful of cilantro
Blend the non-smoked ingredients, except for the tomato paste, then juice the limes and blend, then add the garlic and blend, then add the peppers and blend, then add the onions and blend, then add the tomatoes and blend. Just before all the ingredients are uniform in consistency, add the tomato paste. I think this blending strategy is key to consistency. I will note as well, I tried this once in a basic blender with the tiny blades at the bottom of the cup, and it did not blend well. I normally use a Ninja blender with tall blades or a food processor.
I've also added pickled jalapeno juice instead of vinegar, added chicken stock to taste, experimented with MSG and xanthan gum, made it with jarlic and bottled lime juice, and more. But the basic recipe is solid, and I can eat half the container with a spoon. I don't worry about it spoiling in the fridge because it always gets eaten too fast.
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I save the bones for bone broth too.