Chevy’s Fresh Salsa Copycat
I hadn’t made this salsa since I originally posted it over a year ago, and since I have a giant tub of (not so) freshly picked ripe tomatoes, I thought I’d give it another go and update the photos.
Man, I forgot how much I loved this salsa.
Instead of simply updating the old post I decided to revise the recipe a bit. A while ago I noticed that someone had re-posted the recipe and said something to the effect of the salsa being created from Satan himself. (It was hot. But he liked it.) I didn’t remember it burning my face off. I don’t have a high threshold for heat, either.
Anyway, I doubled the recipe while reducing the number of jalapenos and the amount of liquid smoke. This recipe should fit nicely in a quart-sized mason jar. Unless you add all of the extra liquid from the tomatoes.
See exhibit A:
This go-round I grilled the vegetables at night, then stuck them in the fridge and finished the salsa the next morning. When I pulled the bowl out of the fridge, there was a considerable amount of liquid in the bottom. I decided to leave it out for a thicker salsa (which thickened even more after sitting in the fridge). If you want a looser salsa, then reserve it and add it to achieve the consistency you want.
Oh yeah. If you’re swimming in tomatoes (like me), here are a few more ways to get rid of a lot of tomatoes:
Chevy's Fresh Salsa, Revised
Throw some tomatoes and jalapenos on the grill and make some of this copycat Chevy’s Fresh Salsa! It’s the perfect addition to a summertime potluck.
Ingredients:
2 1/2 pounds tomatoes
3 large jalapenos (use more if small, fewer if large)
1/4 medium Spanish onion (or yellow sweet onion)
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teasopon liquid mesquite smoke
Directions:
Preheat BBQ (or stovetop grill pan like I used) on high. Remove stems from tomatoes, then rub some oil over each. Leave stems on jalapenos and rub oil on them, too.
Place tomatoes on grill when it’s hot. After about 10 minutes, add all jalapenos. In about 10 minutes, turn the tomatoes and peppers. When almost all of the surface of the peppers are black, remove them from the grill. The tomatoes will turn partially black, but when the skin begins to come off they are done. Remove from grill and allow veggies to cool.
Remove skin from tomatoes and place in a food processor. Pinch the stem end from each pepper, remove any skin that has burned, and place into food processor with tomatoes.
Add remaining ingredients and puree on high for 5-10 seconds. Chill for several hours or overnight before serving. Makes about 2 cups.
Nat’s Notes:
1. After scraping all of the seeds and some of the whitish veins from the peppers, it was still quite spicy — about like “medium” salsa you’d buy at the store.
2. After the tomatoes have cooled, you’ll notice quite a bit of liquid left in the bowl (especially if you let them sit overnight). Adding it all back into the salsa makes it sort of watery (see picture on original post). I didn’t add any back into it this time around and I liked the thicker texture. It also thickens as it sits in the fridge, so hold on to that liquid in case you want to thin it out later.
adapted from Top Secret Restaurant Recipes 2 by Todd Wilbur
Yum! Now can I have the recipe for the little pile of masa they leave on your plate at Chevys? :)
Christina! You can! Click on the "Chevy's Sweet Corn Tomalito" link at the top of the post and it will take you right to it.
So funny. I would say my most searched for recipe is the Trader Joe's cilantro jalapeno hummus. Kopykat recipes rule!
This salsa looks fantastic. I've actually never been to Chevy's but I hear good things.
my kids love salsa and chips when they come home from school. i am so opposed to buying anything like this in the "jar"! This is going to become a household staple. thanks.
There's nothing like homemade salsa! Thanks for a great recipe!
I've made your revised recipe three times already. Just the right amount of heat and smokiness. It tastes awesome with fish, scrambled eggs, steak, chicken – so good! Thank you!
Zombie – Three times! I agree… I love it with all of those things as well. I even use it on salads in place of dressing (depending on the salad…) I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
I’m back. :) Never really left, just life was busy, so I haven’t been trying many (more like any) new recipes lately…until this week! So, some friends invited us over for dinner and my assignment was pico de gallo, guacamole, and salsa. 3 problems: 1. guacamole is the only one of those things that I’ve made by myself (and it was just okay tasting) 2. I’d never ever made pico de gallo and for some reason the thought of eating raw tomatoes and onions makes me gag (except if they are in the form of a not too chunky salsa) 3. my friend is hispanic and a great cook. Long story short – I made 5 salsas (each recipe from a different person). I’ve had them in my “to try” file, so I thought the best way to find our favorite was to just make them all at once and taste test. Your salsa was 2nd in the tasting line and I felt sorry for all those that followed. Yours blew all the others out of the water…seriously! Yours is the only salsa I will ever make again. Oh, and I should let you know that my friend’s husband said he was a little nervous that she had asked a gringo :) to bring the salsa, but after tasting it he was impressed. Oh, and we all had second helpings of chips and salsa after we ate dessert. The only thing I think you should add somewhere in the recipe is the word ADDICTING in big fat bold capital letters. :)
REALLY?! Lindsey, you just made my night. Way to perform under pressure. I’d be a nervous wreck if I was in charge of bringing salsa for a hispanic to eat. Glad to know this one passed the test! As far as basic salsas, it’s the only one I make, too. I tried to figure out how to can it last year, but I was terrified of getting the acidity wrong and giving us all botulism. So I used another. (Wasn’t as good, but hey, we’re alive and well.)
The husband of one of my friends spent 2 years in Mexico, and even though he’s a “gringo” he’s particular about his salsa. She said she made him the Tomatillo-Chipotle Salsa from my blog, and he really liked it! https://www.perrysplate.com/2011/05/tomatillo-chipotle-salsa.html
P.S. Even though you said that this recipe should fit nicely in a quart-sized mason jar, I was completely impressed that the recipe fit PERFECTLY in the jar. Like almost to the very top, but not so much that you have to worry about it sloshing out when you open the lid. It made me so happy that I pointed it out to my husband.
:) I think we share a fondness for perfectly filled containers. I remember being really excited when my first batch filled it perfectly!
How convenient that you suggested your tomatillo chipotle salsa. I have your chipotle beef burritos and chiptotle steak and potato soup on our menu this week and I was just wondering what I should do with the extra chiles in the can. And I kind of love tomatillos. Something about finding such a pretty green thing under that ugly husk.
A former Girlfriend used to make this at home for me.
There is no Liquid Smoke or Vinegar in Chevy’s Salsa.
The Salsa gets its unique flavor from the roasting of the JalepenÅs, Onions, and Tomatoes
The more you roast them, the darker and more flavorful it will be. It should not be light pink in color, and NEVER add Liquid Smoke! (or Vinegar)
By the way, my former Girfriend was a Chevy’s District Manager.
Would you have the original recipe she used?
Can this be put in smaller mason jars and frozen?
Please let me know too! I just made a batch and it’s so much salsa, I really don’t want it to go to waste.
Can this salsa be canned for the future?