Hi Alphonse! I've been thinking about the same thing. I came across this recipe and would like the opinions of the experienced canners:

Ingredients For Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
�7 to 10 dried chipotle pepper chiles, de-stemmed and slit lengthwise
�1/2 an onion, diced
�1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
�2 cloves garlic, minced
�1/4 cup ketchup
�1/4 cup soy sauce
�1/4 teaspoon salt
�3 cups water

The link is below. Please let me know what you think about their directions.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.chipotlepeppers.net/info/homemade-chipotles-in-adobo-sauce

There just is no way of knowing whether that recipe is "sufficiently acid" or not, despite what the post says. We don't know anything about the qualifications of the individual or how that was determined. Was the 30-minute processing time pulled out of a hat? Is it for quart jars, what?

Generally speaking, 3 cups of water to 1/2 cup of vinegar is a very weak acid solution and I have no idea if that's sufficient. Was the poster aware that the pH of soy sauce can vary from as low as 4.4 to as high as 5.4? That's a huge range.

I know I'm beating a dead horse when I also say it's not worth the time and expense to can a product that's comprised principally of bottled products, but I will try one more time. The only fresh ingredients are the onion and garlic.

The Blue Cover Ball Blue Book (the one that preceded the current anniversary edition) and the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving both offer a recipe for a Roasted Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa.

It calls for dried chipotles and cascabels, tomatillos, romas, onion, garlic, a bit of sugar (optional), salt and vinegar. For canning that's the direction I'd go.

Otherwise I'd freeze the posted recipe, making perhaps a double batch but no more because it can be put together easily any time of the year.

Carol

Thank you both for your response.

Carol, your suggestion of the recipe from the Ball book is very close to my adobo recipe.

Am I correct to think bottled lime/lemon can be used in lieu of white vinegar?
Would the addition of 1tsp. or less of cumin affect the pH?
Can tomatoes substitute for the tomatillos (i.e., a total of 4# plum tomatoes)?

You're not beating a dead horse. All ingredients save vinegar, salt and sugar are from the garden.

Sorry. I should clarify that I was responding to Poster #2 and the recipe mentioned, not the traditional adobo.

To answer your questions, bottled lemon/lime can always be used in lieu of vinegar as they are even more acidic. However, we can't do the reverse. In other words if a Ball recipe calls for bottled lime, vinegar can't be used instead because it's less acid.

Cumin can be used freely. In fact, any dried herb or spice or dried peppers (as opposed to fresh) would be safe additions. They lack the water that "hosts" botulism spores.

Tomatoes and tomatillos can generally be interchanged as their pH, density, etc. are very similar. I hate to make a blanket statement as there's bound to be an exception somewhere but I haven't run across a safe-tested recipe that doesn't contain sufficient acidity for one as well as the other.

I hope that helps in your quest.

Carol

It does.
I understand your reluctance to make a blanket statement; high standards give this board a welcome credibility.

Readinglady, have you seen a recipe for chipoltle chiles in adobo sauce? Could I put some of my smoked chilies in the roasted tomatillo-chipoltle salsa sauce in the fridge till they are pliable and then serve them?

Wonderful info! Thanks, I will try this. Wish I lived where they were so
plentiful.