Chipotle’s Red Hot Salsa

This is pretty much the final boss version… earlier versions below.

Ingredients

• 28 oz. canned tomatillos, drained.
• 14g Arbol chili powder
• 1 T salt
• 1 T cumin
• 1/2 T powdered garlic
• 1 T black pepper
• 2 T Tabasco sauce (start with 1 tablespoon, then adjust to desired heat)
• 1C Water (adjust to desired consistency)

Directions

1. Add all ingredients to a food processor and spin until smooth.
2. Add water to thin (personal preference).
3. Refrigerate for at least 1hr

If you’re just looking for a bottled hot-sauce that is very close to this flavor, you can try Cholula Original Hot Sauce. They use arbol and piquin peppers. It also happens to be my “Mex sauce” of choice.

Love, Jimi

[ Older versions below ]

Chipotle’s Red Hot Salsa v2

This is a work in progress; refined from V1 below.

Ingredients

1. 3 lb. tomatillos, husks removed and washed
   • Alternatively, you can use canned tomatillos (28 oz). Since they are canned they’re already cooked, just process everything together and let it sit in the refrigerator for a couple hours, then correct with salt.
   • I’m on the second batch using canned tomatillos now, I’m almost certain that this is what they use for the restaurant; color texture and flavor are perfect.
2. 14g Arbol chili powder
3. 1 T salt
4. 1 T cumin
5. 1/2 T powdered garlic
6. 1 T black pepper
7. 2 T Tabasco sauce (adjust to desired heat)
8. 1C Water (adjust to desired consistency)

Directions

• Quarter the tomatillos (cutting off and disposing of any hard stem base), place in a medium pot with chilis and water and bring to a simmer.
• simmer all until soft, add others except tabasco and simmer for another 5 min.
• Allow to cool and process until smooth.
• Add Tabasco and spin again.
• Add water to thin (personal preference).
• Refrigerate for at least 1hr

Chipotle’s Red Hot Salsa v1

This is a work in progress… close but not quite right color or consistency. I don’t think they roast the tomatillos.

Ingredients

• 15 large tomatillos, husks removed and washed
• 3 T powdered chile de arbol
• 1 T salt
• 1 T cumin
• 1/2 T powdered garlic
• 1 T black pepper
• 1-3 T Tabasco sauce (adjust)
• Water to thin (typically 6+ tbsp)

Directions

1. Quarter the tomatillos (cutting off and disposing of any hard stem base), place on a rimmed baking pan, cut sides up, green skin down.
2. Bake at 450 (or broil) in the oven until soft and slightly blackened (~25 minutes).
3. Put tomatillos (including liquid from the pan!) in a blender/food processor with other ingredients and blend very thoroughly (~ 3-4 minutes).
4. Add water to thin (personal preference).
5. Refrigerate for at least 1hr