I think the answer to both of your questions is yes. I have never frozen it but if anything it will just soften the texture a little. I would definitely cook it for however long Annie specified, though. It is not designed to be a fresh salsa, and if you don't cook it I think the tomato paste will not mix well with the firm, chunky fresh tomatoes.

If you want a salsa fresca (with raw tomatoes), I would suggest trying a different recipe instead, or leaving out the tomato sauce and paste. Annie's recipe is more like the store-bought jarred salsa, though of course way more delicious.

Melissa

If you're not canning Annie's salsa you can change around the recipe however you like.

Though I haven't done so myself, I do know some who have frozen Annie's salsa and prefer it that way. I'd recommend you bag up a small amount, put it in the freezer for a few days and see how you like it.

But as Melissa said, it's designed to be a cooked salsa, not a pico de gallo.

Carol

I guess my specific question was based on how a few of the ingredients would affect the taste of the salsa...ie: salt and vinegar specifically. I realize these are ingredients necessary to keep it safe for canning. But if I cook it up following the recipe and use it right away, will it still taste as good?

I'm ok with it being a "cooked" typed salsa, so if I do use the paste and sauce, without canning it, will it turn out ok?

Yes, it tastes just as good right after cooking as it does after canning. The salt and vinegar are for flavor as well as safety. Maybe it thickens up a little more during canning, so you could cook it longer than Annie's recommended time if it's not thick enough yet.

The cooking allows the tomatoes to blend with the sauce and paste, changing it from a Ragu-covered salad to the perfect salsa, before the canning starts. It will be great.

Melissa

As Melissa stated, the salt and vinegar is for flavor as well as their preservative qualities. I tried leaving out the vinegar altogether and pressure canning it and it didn't taste "right". It needed that vinegar for flavor. I always use apple cider vinegar because that's the flavor I like but I know many people have subbed other types of vinegar, or lemon or lime juice, because they like THAT flavor.

It's all good, but this particular recipe is best cooked, in my opinion.

Happy Canning. Or freezing, whichever you prefer, LOL.

Annie

Well I made a batch (with just a few minor adjustments) here's what I did differently.

I added more garlic (like double), more onions (by accident, I food processed 6 onions and it gave me 3 cups, so I used it all). I also squeezed one lime into it. Everything else was the same as the recipe states.

My husband thought it was too sweet (possibly the cumin? of course the sugar too). He would like a more tangy salsa

For future batches, I'd consider leaving out the sugar and cut the cumin in half or leave it out all together, tasted too much like chili. I liked it, but he's the salsa coneseur so it was not a grand slam unfortunately, but a very good overall content.

I'm wondering how I might now adjust the balance of what I made to reduce the sugar taste. We only ate one bowl full so far. There is a lot left.

Any ideas/comments/suggestions?

thanks!

I'm answering my own question/post (but I promise I dont talk to myself too ;)

I added another cup of cidar vinegar and I think that curbs the sweet. I noticed on the recipe that a cup is suggested for one type of canning method, but I initially went with the lessor quantity.

I think the problem is solved (I also taste the cumin less too). But for my taste, I'd probably still use 1/2 as much as I did next time.

Nice recipe, I think I'll test it on my OTHER family members and see what they say, DH tends to be picky about things :)