Mel's Kitchen Salsa (B&K new favorite)

I have to get this one written down while I still remember where I got it. This is our new favorite salsa (good fresh or for canning). 

From the kitchen of:  Mel's Kitchen Cafe - found by Katie

INGREDIENTS:

• 2025 Alterations - thicker and more flavorful?

• 10 cups peeled, chopped and drained tomatoes (I drained mine as best I could, while not wanting to take forever. Mel has them sit for a long time. She also has a different method for peeling tomatoes by broiling them - I think I still prefer the boiling and ice water method - I'm faster at it, and I don't have to wait for them to cool down. Maybe I can figure out a good mix of the two.) Roasted 2 sheet pans fairly full of tomatoes without peeling. Pureed one pan in the blender and squashed the other after roasting with my veggie chopper. I tried to scoop them out of the pan and leave most of the juice.

• 3 cups chopped onion

• 1 3/4 cups chopped green bell pepper Maybe a little more

• 5 jalapeños, finely chopped, membranes and seeds removed (leave in for extra spice) (I ended up planting hot banana peppers this year, and used about 3 or 4 of them instead of jalapenos - It was delicious and just the right amount of spice. I'd call it "medium.")

• 7 cloves garlic, finely minced

• 2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 2 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper

• 2 1/2 tablespoons canning or pickling salt (no iodine or other additives. I happen to have pickling salt, so that's what I used)

• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro Maybe a little more

• 1/3 cup sugar (optional, depending on sweetness of tomatoes - I think I did add some sugar)

• 1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar Maybe a little more I think I did 1 1/3 C red wine vinegar

• 16 ounces tomato sauce (I didn't do this)

• 12 ounces tomato paste (optional if you want a thicker salsa)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Wash, core, and quarter/half the tomatoes and spread on 2 cookie sheets. Fill the pans with tomatoes - they can be touching and be very full. Convection Roast for 40-50 min at 400 F. 

2. Chop everything else and put it into a big pot. I used by "Vidalia" chopper, which left pretty good-sized chunks, but you can use a food processor if you like it creamy.

3. When they are done roasting, scoop out one pan of tomatoes into the blender and make into a puree. Add extra juice if it's too thick. With the other pan of tomatoes, chop them with the veggie chopper.

4. Add the rest of the ingredients to the big pot. Stir it all up and simmer for 10 minutes (I think I did much longer to boil off some more of the liquid)

5. If canning, get your bottles and tops ready.

6. Leave 1/2 inch headspace for pints and process for 25ish minutes for our altitude.

MAKES: I think about 7-8 pints? I ended up only canning 4 and left the rest to be eaten at a ward function and ourselves after said function.