Garden salsa is a good batch to run while tomatoes are coming in. Dice 10 cups of Roma tomatoes, 2 1/2 cups of white onion, 1 cup of peppers, 2 large garlic cloves, and 1 cup of cilantro. Add 1/8 cup lime juice, salt and pepper, plus cumin if you like it. Simmer everything for 30 minutes, let it cool, then freeze dry at minus 10°F with 3 extra freeze hours and a 125°F dry temperature. Plan on about 36 hours total, including 4 extra dry hours.
This week's freeze dry
The garden salsa batch was the one that got people talking this week. It takes a pile of ripe tomatoes and turns it into something you can keep ready for taco night, burrito bowls, eggs, or a quick snack.
One comment added a useful idea: "To use up extra tomatoes you can make some thick tomato paste." That is worth remembering when your salsa comes out thinner than you want. A little tomato paste can strengthen the tomato flavor and give the finished batch more body.
What worked this week
Spread the cooled salsa in an even layer. For a medium machine, keep each tray between about 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 pounds. An even layer gives the machine a consistent batch to work through. Check every tray before you package it, especially the thickest spots.
The ingredient balance matters too. Roma tomatoes bring less water than many slicing tomatoes. The onion, peppers, garlic, cilantro, lime, salt, pepper, and optional cumin give you a finished salsa before it ever reaches the trays. That means you can taste and adjust the pot after the 30 minute simmer, while changes are still easy to make.
The freeze-dry takeaway
Think about the texture you want when you rehydrate this batch. Start with 1/2 cup of hot water for every 1 cup, or 19 grams, of freeze-dried salsa. Stir it well, cover it, and let it stand for 5 to 10 minutes. That smaller amount gives you a thicker, chunkier salsa. Add more water a little at a time if you want it looser. The full ratio is 1 cup of hot water for 1 cup of dry salsa.
This is where keeping the pieces fairly even helps. The tomatoes, onions, and peppers take up water at different rates. Give the bowl those full 5 to 10 minutes before deciding it needs more. You can always add another spoonful of water.
From the comments
Someone wrote, "I have legit the best salsa and pasta sauce recipe if u want it." I love seeing people bring their own recipes into the conversation. Home preservation gets better when we compare what worked in our own kitchens, especially with a food that every family makes a little differently.
Try this before next week
Make one garden salsa batch with the half-cup rehydration ratio written on the package. When you bring it back, wait the full 10 minutes before adding more water.
In Freeze-Dry Buddy
Garden Salsa is now in the paid Library with the ingredient list, tray guidance, exact temperatures, and timing already filled in. Loaded Mashed Potatoes, Southwest Seasoned Rice, Buffalo Chicken Dip, and my seasoned beef sandwich filling joined it this week. These are five complete recipes you can use to plan a batch and keep the settings with your results. You can find them in the New from Brandon row in Freeze-Dry Buddy.