Preservative for mango salsa??

[Dakaty]

I am wondering if anyone has a suggestion for extending the life of homemade salsa. I usually make about a half gallon at a time and if I don't give some away, it gets "iffy" after about a week and I end up tossing it out.

[chad]

No real, easy, home method of preserving it - except, perhaps freezing.

I'd say either eat more or make less.

[Brauma]

Do you add any lemon juice to your salsa? The citrus acts as a preservative. I add some to my homemade minced garlic just because I see it on a jar on store-bought minced garlic.

Well, I must admit the garlic doesnt last long around our house so Im not sure if the lemon juice really kelps or not.

[Dakaty]

I could make smaller batches, but once we get started making the stuff, it just always turns out to be alot. My 10 year old daughter loves to help chop it up. (She even has her favorite knife, a Henckles Twin Cuisine 5" Santuko).

I use lime juice rather than lemon in mine.

I'm wondering if I ought to cook it after a 5-6 days and turn it in to picante sauce. Would that extend its life?

[qman]

Cooking would certainly help to chase of the nasties if they are growing- a la "refreshing" a beef or chicken stock stored in the fridge.

I think bagging it and freezing is the best option. I would hold off on adding fresh herbs like cilantro to the whole batch, just add to what you were using imediatly, then add the fresh herbs back to the salsa after defrosting.

[Dakaty]

qman

I'm more interested in extending its "refrigerator life" so that we can continue to eat it, rather than freezing it for later.

That's a good suggestion regarding the cilantro. That stuff always goes bad real quick in the fridgerator. In fact, I'm planning to get some dried cilantro to use rather than the fresh.

[Wayne]

Start giving away what you usually throw away. Take some to work, give some to the neighbors, leave it on the back table at church. That is the table where people leave extra garden produce to share with other members of the church. Fresh is better so if you cannot make less then spread the bounty and keep it fresh.

[Kevin]

Originally Posted by Wayne

Start giving away what you usually throw away. Take some to work, give some to the neighbors, leave it on the back table at church. That is the table where people leave extra garden produce to share with other members of the church. Fresh is better so if you cannot make less then spread the bounty and keep it fresh.

Good point Wayne. Neighbors brought over a bushel of apples this morning. Time to start making pies.

[qman]

Originally Posted by Dakaty

qman

I'm more interested in extending its "refrigerator life" so that we can continue to eat it, rather than freezing it for later.

That's a good suggestion regarding the cilantro. That stuff always goes bad real quick in the fridgerator. In fact, I'm planning to get some dried cilantro to use rather than the fresh.

That is actually what I had in mind. I practice the art of "short-term freezing" a lot around here. I would make a big batch, freeze half, eat the other half, and as soon as it was gone, defrost and start eating the second half. Instant extension of shelf life.