Food - Drink
17 Ways You're Ruining Homemade Salsa
By SARA KLIMEK
Wrong tomato type
There are quite a few ways to mess up your homemade salsa, and your tomatoes should be chosen carefully. For chunky salsa, you’ll want a sturdy tomato that is easy to dice, like any variety in the Beefsteak family, but for a smooth salsa roja, you’ll want one that blends well with a fleshy interior, such as a Roma.
Forgetting to seed
Though seeding is optional for a blended salsa roja, removing the seeds and the gel-like part of the tomatoes' insides can help your salsa appear less watery. Small tomatoes can be seeded by squeezing, while large tomatoes can be cut into quarters and have their seeds and gel removed with a paring knife.
Not resting salsa
You should let your salsa rest for at least an hour before serving, allowing the acids and the salt to meld with the other ingredients for a better flavor. Letting your salsa marinate for too long might result in a lot of juice weeping from your tomatoes, but you can either drain this salsa juice or stir it back in.
Skipping the acid
Fresh salsas often feature lime juice or another acid, which adds tanginess and helps to extend the shelf life of the salsa. Some recipes call for red wine vinegar or white vinegar instead of citrus, but avoid using vinegar with a strong flavor, like apple cider or balsamic, which can taste distracting or "off."
Using dried herbs
Fresh herbs have a more pronounced kick of flavor than dried, and the short window between making your salsa and serving won't draw much flavor out of dried herbs. Try soaking fresh herbs in ice water before making your sauce to enhance their bright green color, which should take just a few minutes.