Allright all you Texans and wannabees. I have seen a lot of posts about salsa and have yet to see any recipes or where to buy this magic seasoning. Share!

wrote on May 24^th, 2004 at 1:12am:

Allright all you Texans and wannabees. I have seen a lot of posts about salsa and have yet to see any recipes or where to buy this magic seasoning. Share!

I have never personally used this product, I prefer to dehydrate my own.
Try this.   (You need to Login or Register
flp

Dehydrating your own is the only way to go.  You can do it in an oven if you don't own a dehydrator.  Pace salsa dehydrates really well if you are looking for a good commercial salsa to dehydrate.  Just be sure you do NOT buy the Thick-n-Chunky version as it doesn't dehydrate or reconstitute as easily as the thinner regular salsa.

Any salsa you make at home will likely dehydrate well, too, as long as it's a cooked salsa as opposed to one made with fresh ingredients and served uncooked.

Once you dry it (you'll end up with something akin to a fruit rollup from hell), just tear it up into small enough chunks to fit into whatever cups you use when camping.  To rehydrate in camp, throw some chunks into a cup, fill with boiling water and lid the cup with a scrap of aluminum foil (or the cup's lid).  Stir it up a couple times while dinner or breakfast is cooking and you are all set.  I don't worry too much about getting the exact right amount of water when rehydrating.  I actually try to use a little less than I think I need because thicker salsa is better than thin.  And if it's too thick, just add more water.

I'm sure Denton Doc will chime in too, when he gets back from his trip.

wrote on May 24^th, 2004 at 12:00pm:

Once you dry it (you'll end up with something akin to a fruit rollup from hell),

Perhaps we're onto something that should be included in the snack posts as well?  Just don't confuse it with the actual fruit rollup you are giving to your toddler....

I have never dehydrated anything (except myself) how do you dehydrate in your oven?  What temp, how long etc.?

Looking specifically for this salsa Dehydration gig.

thanks in advance,

Wishin'

I have a dehydrator but this is my SWAG on oven dehydrating:

Most dehydrators run in the 140-160degF range, so try to achieve that temp with your oven.

Dehydrators take fresh air and heat it, pass it over the food and then expel it to increase removal of water from the product.  Ovens are made to contain the heated air to a much greater degree, so I would say prop open the oven door by, perhaps, closing it on a wooden spoon to get the needed circulation.

Dehydrators use polyethylene sheets/inserts to hold liquid/semiliquid food as it drys.  Even then the "fruit rollup" is fairly well stuck to it.  Milk bottles are polyethylene(PE) so you may try using bottoms of these to hold the salsa as it drys.  How it would work on metal cookie trays is a mystery I am not interested in delving into.

I must repeat that I have not done oven dehydrating since I own a dehydrator, but knowing the physical processes that go on in dehydration this is my best guess at how I would approach oven dehydrating.

Thanks TTC, I will let you know how my experiment goes and how long it takes for the Misses to kick me out of the house for ruining her oven and kitchen tools.  

Wishin'  

Just as a side note.  I dehydrated (using a dehydrator) a chunky version of Pace Salsa for my May trip.  It substantially resembles the tomato leather I make with tomato paste (for Spaghetti sauce).

I rehydrated half of the salsa in warm water for use with our fish tacos.  My traveling parner dehydrated the remainder for use with burritos a few days later.  Both methods worked well and even the "chunky" part came back to life just fine.

Ah!  Nothing like a little Salsa with your dinner.  Any secrets on dehydrating the beer to go along with it? (LOL)

BTW:  The block of cheese I took on the trip (grated for both the tacos and burritos), was just fine.  I even had a few leftovers a week after our trip begin and it was still very tasty (with no sign of going bad).  However, we didn't experience any weather where the temperature was above the mid- to upper-50's during that period.

dd

wrote on Jun 11^th, 2004 at 5:04pm:

I have never dehydrated anything (except myself) how do you dehydrate in your oven?  What temp, how long etc.? Looking specifically for this salsa Dehydration gig.

Wishin
I will attempt to answer your question.
Temperatures and airflow are the two key factors when dehydrating food, an oven in most cases has a low setting of 140 degrees and limited airflow. Although it can be done, the oven is not the ideal place to dry veggies or fruit, which require a temperature of between 130 and 135 degrees. Ovens work well for jerky and other meats, which require temperatures 140 to 145, degrees.
You will need a couple of things for salsa; an oven thermometer, a cookie sheet and cooking spray. Set the oven at the lowest possible temperature leaving the oven door cracked a couple of inches checking your oven thermometer for proper temperature (you do not want to cook it). Prepare your salsa or buy jar. Prepare your cookie sheet by spraying a thin coating of vegetable spray (this will prevent the dried salsa from sticking) and place the salsa on the tray spreading it out as evenly as possible. Place the tray of salsa in the center of the oven by repositioning the oven rack. Leave the oven door cracked a couple of inches so moisture can escape. It will take anywhere from 10 to 12 hours to dry. The finished product should be pliable with no moisture. Once you allow the salsa to cool to room temperature lay out a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap and lay the salsa leather on it and roll up, place in a zip lock. Hydrate in warm water.
I hope this helps.
flp

flpaddler is 100% correct in his method.  Before I got a dehydrator I used to do it in the oven using that exact method.  It works just fine.

i bought some dehydrated beer at the liquor store to bring up.  tasted a lot like whiskey

wrote on Jun 15^th, 2004 at 7:33pm:

i bought some dehydrated beer at the liquor store

Did you get the one from the Pierre Brewery?

Our local Whole Foods Co-op store in Virginia, MN carries a very good dehydrated salsa product.  Comes bulk to them and is sold in the spices department.  I recommend it.  Maybe other WFC's carry it too.  IC

More ideas on salsa...do you get that I like it too???  Since it is so tomatoey and salty, packing it wet in seal-a-meal packages, or tubes would work too.  It is not likely to spoil.  Also...how much of this will you actually eat?  It doesn't add that much more weight and for those of us who love it, it is worth the few ounces.  IC

IC

Just dehydrated a 16 oz bottle for my next (week long) trip.  I guess I'll have to stretch it a bit for the my partner and I.

dd

p.s.  K says I should say HI! (and welcome).