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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking. |
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12-08-2006, 09:34 PM | #1 |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 01-05-06
Location: Katy, Texas
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Pico de gallo preservative
I'm going to make a big batch of mango pico de gallo this weekend.
Is there a way to extend the "shelf life" of this stuff? After about 10 days in the fridge, it gets "questionable" and we throw it out. I know I could make smaller batches, but... I would like to figure out how to make it last longer. We are thinking about giving some for CHRISTmas presents and want to make sure it doesn't go bad quickly. I've read many ingredients that include "citric acid" as a preservative. Is this a healthy additive and readily available? Thanks |
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12-08-2006, 09:44 PM | #2 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 07-08-05
Location: Ocoee, Fl
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Citric acid is in lemons and limes, plus a lot of other fruit. The more lime juice you put in your salsa, the more preserved it will be. You may have to add sugar to balance the acidity to keep it from tasting too sour.
To keep it long periods, you can "can" it, but cooking of course will destroy the freshness.
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12-08-2006, 10:32 PM | #3 |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 12-02-05
Location: Ky
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Can you use a food saver on that?
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12-09-2006, 07:21 AM | #4 | |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 07-08-05
Location: Ocoee, Fl
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Quote:
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12-09-2006, 09:35 AM | #5 |
is Blowin Smoke!
Join Date: 12-01-05
Location: Universal City, Texas
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The foodsaver is a great idea. Do add the lime juice too and keep it in the coldest part of the fridge.
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12-09-2006, 11:16 AM | #6 |
Grand Poobah and Site Admin
Join Date: 08-11-03
Location: Long Island, NY
Name/Nickname : Phil
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Im not sure, becase I never did it, but isnt that what that mason jar thing is for? Seal them, boil them and done? or will it ruin the salsa?
and also, foodsver has vacusuck jars that can be used, im not sure if that would be cost prohibitive. I think if you use the foodsaver bag approach, u will be sucking out alot of liquid that could damage the device. The trick is to feeze it a little first, but that may damage the salsa. Also, i am thinking that the acid of lemons and limes, over time break down the salsa and make it mush. Maybe the jarred citric acid additive works differently? Dunno. jsut some thoughts.
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Site Administrator and Grand PooBah CBJ with a Fuzzy Blue Hat, 18 Foot Competition Trailer, Customized Klose BYC, Custom Built Shirley built to feed our Veterans(A.K.A "Abrams"), 1 Double Barreled Lang 84, 1 Heavily Modified Bionic Bandera, 1 Custom Super Medium Stickburning Spicewine w/stoker, 2 XL BGE, 1 Mini BGE, 2 Pit Barrel Cookers, 3 WSMs, 3 Weber Kettles, an NB Hondo, A Modified Brinkman Horizontal, DCS 48" Grill, a Broilmaster P3, a Blackstone 36 and 17, a covered, pellet pooping FEC100, and our duck died. :( News Flash: "A mans worth is judged by the weight of his integrity " You know your getting older when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy Smoke on KC. WWW.BBQ-BRETHREN.COM |
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12-10-2006, 07:27 AM | #7 | |
Babbling Farker
Join Date: 07-08-05
Location: Ocoee, Fl
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Quote:
Mr. Poo; Pico de Gallo is supposed to be a Fresh salsa-cooking it changes it. In case I did not speak clearly in my post, I was talking about the foodsaver jars, or containers, not the bags. Freezing also would change the texture of the fresh veggies, creating water loss and mushiness. The citric acid in the additive is the same as the citric acid in lemon and lime juice. Fortunately the acid does not break down cellulose in veggies the way it breaks down protein in meat. So you can use quite a bit of lime juice without a problem. The challenge here is to hold the salsa as long as possible without damaging is freshness. Just my thoughts. YMMV
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12-10-2006, 10:08 AM | #8 |
somebody shut me the fark up.
Join Date: 01-23-04
Location: DFW, San AntonioTx
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The acid from lemon or limes will help. It's also important to use the absolute freshest ingredients you can find. I've made the mistake of settling for ONE indgredient that wasn't quite as fresh as I would have liked for my pico. It ruined the whole batch less than a week later.
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12-10-2006, 10:19 AM | #9 | |
Grand Poobah and Site Admin
Join Date: 08-11-03
Location: Long Island, NY
Name/Nickname : Phil
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i never did the mason jar thing, so didnt realize it was actually cooking the stuff. Had no clue how long ya have to leave it in there. I thin my problem here is pico da gallo dont go much longer than i day or 2 around here... damn, i eat that stuff in anything.
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Site Administrator and Grand PooBah CBJ with a Fuzzy Blue Hat, 18 Foot Competition Trailer, Customized Klose BYC, Custom Built Shirley built to feed our Veterans(A.K.A "Abrams"), 1 Double Barreled Lang 84, 1 Heavily Modified Bionic Bandera, 1 Custom Super Medium Stickburning Spicewine w/stoker, 2 XL BGE, 1 Mini BGE, 2 Pit Barrel Cookers, 3 WSMs, 3 Weber Kettles, an NB Hondo, A Modified Brinkman Horizontal, DCS 48" Grill, a Broilmaster P3, a Blackstone 36 and 17, a covered, pellet pooping FEC100, and our duck died. :( News Flash: "A mans worth is judged by the weight of his integrity " You know your getting older when you choose your cereal for the fiber, not the toy Smoke on KC. WWW.BBQ-BRETHREN.COM |
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12-10-2006, 03:42 PM | #10 | |
Full Fledged Farker
Join Date: 01-05-06
Location: Katy, Texas
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Quote:
Yesterday I made some beautiful mango salsa using 3 colors of bell peppers, purple & white onions, orange mangos, vine ripe tomatoes, dark red roma tomatoes, cilantro, garlic, celery, white sesame seeds, black poppy seeds, japalenos, dark green pablanos, 3 different grind black peppers, paprika, ground cayenne, corriander, cumin, salt, lime juice and probably some more stuff I can't remember right now. This stuff is as fun to look at as it is to eat. This time I only made a little more than a 1/2 gallon so we should be able to eat it while its still fresh. I hate dumping that stuff out!! I love using my 10" Wusthof chef knife. It makes jobs like this FUN! |
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