Sitting with friends around the campfire calls for the perfect appetizer after a long day of exploring. Chips and freshly made salsa is the ideal snack for everyone to hold them over until meal time. Making this at home and bringing it with you saves some time, but making it the campsite is fun! Using hot coals from the camp to roast your ingredients delivers flavor like you have never tasted. One of our favorite ways to make this side at Girl Camper Headquarters is to place the ingredients right in the hot coals. Then, carefully removing them and chopping the ingredients up and placing in individual chip and dip plates.
The tomatoes soften and the skin develops a beautiful char, the natural sugars caramelize with that intense heat. When roasting the jalapeños, a smoky flavor develops that helps soften any heat lingering in the seeds. Using additional bright flavored ingredients like fresh cilantro and lime juice balance this salsa perfectly. Find the freshest ingredients you can when making this salsa. A trip to the farmer’s market to see what they offer is always fun.
Some of our favorite uses are as a topping on grilled chicken, mixed with sour cream for a delicious dip. We even blend the salsa and add it to a Bloody Mary for a smoky flavor. But the best way to enjoy this is to take a spoonful of the fire-roasted salsa and top a grilled steak.
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Ingredients
- 4-6 large ripe red tomatoes, cut in half, stem removed
- 2 jalapenos, cut in half, seeds removed or left whole
- 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and quartered
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 lime juiced
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
- Heat your grill, gas or charcoal for indirect cooking. Preheat to medium-high.
- Place the tomatoes, jalapenos, and onions on the cool side of the grill (the opposite side of where the heat source is). You can also place the vegetables over the hot side of the grill to blister and char the ingredients.
- Cover the grill and cook your vegetables for 15 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Place the vegetables, garlic and olive oil in a food processor and pulse to desired consistency. If you like a rough-cut salsa do not bled it, use your knife and give everything a good chop.
- Before serving add a bit of lime juice, salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve with tortilla chips, will keep in the fridge for 4 days