# Need help thinning my too thick tomatillo salsa



## ratherbcooking (Jan 13, 2007)

Hi all

I'm a new member and this is my first post so would love any help anyone can offer.  I just experimented making tomatillo salsa last week, but it wasn't quite the same as some I tried from a restaurant in Arizona.  I used canned tomatillos last week because that was what I could find at the moment.  However, today I bought fresh ones, along with fresh serrano and jalapeno peppers.  After roasting the tomatillos, I put them in the processor with the peppers, some canned green chiles, cilantro, spices, lime juice, a bit of olive oil and water, and some of the salsa I made last week.  This batch turned out very very good.  But before I can it, I put it in the fridge overnight to see how the flavors will blend and how thick the salsa becomes.  The stuff I made last week is so thick, a spoon will stand straight up in it!  LOL   

I don't want to change the flavor of this new batch but if it turns out thick, I need to add something to it.  My question is:  WHAT?  I think water or oil will change the flavor, but lime juice or a vinegar or anything else would also change it.  Any thoughts?  Thanks!!!


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## Michael in FtW (Jan 13, 2007)

I've never seen a salsa that was _too thick_ ... and if a spoon stands up in it that sounds about right. I hate thin, watery, runny salsas!

If you _really_ feel the need to muck up a good thick salsa ... try adding a bit of canned diced tomatoes or tomato puree.


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## ratherbcooking (Jan 13, 2007)

Thanks Michael.  If it was regular salsa, I might agree with the thick theory.  But the tomatillo salsa almost seemed like GEL after it was refrigerated.  Very odd, but then I never used tomatillos before and wasn't sure what to expect.  I HAVE eaten the salsa though and it didn't have the consistency of gel so I wondered what happened.  I followed a recipe, of sorts, because I always make food to taste.  At any rate, I'm hoping the new batch isn't gel-like, and if it is, I don't want to add red tomato anything to it.  But I might try something else green.  Nice roasted green chiles from Hatch might be good but I don't have any left and now live in Oklahoma, so my options are limited for a few more months until I move back to AZ.  Other suggestions?  Thanks a lot.


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## auntdot (Jan 13, 2007)

Ratherb, thanks, never thought about roasting the tomatillos.  Gotta try that.


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## VeraBlue (Jan 14, 2007)

Try tomato juice.


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## Sararwelch (Jan 16, 2007)

You could also try lime juice or even just water.


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## Michael in FtW (Jan 16, 2007)

I've been thinking about this and the only thing I can think of that would make it "gel" is the olive oil. In the absence of a recipe:

If you processed your salsa into a puree (I've had some like that) - the olive oil might have created an emulsion.

If your salsa was chunky and you just "blended" in the olive oil - it might thin out on it's own if you let it come to room temp. 

Olive oil will thicken up when refrigerated.


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## VeraBlue (Jan 16, 2007)

Michael in FtW said:
			
		

> I've been thinking about this and the only thing I can think of that would make it "gel" is the olive oil. In the absence of a recipe:
> 
> If you processed your salsa into a puree (I've had some like that) - the olive oil might have created an emulsion.
> 
> ...



I've experienced the 'gel' thing when I make cocktail sauce, too.  The ingredients are horseradish, ketchup, worcesteshire, fresh lemon juice and minced garlic.  No oil.....yet it still gels when I refrigerate...


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## expatgirl (Jan 17, 2007)

Welcome, Ratherbcooking!

I've made a tomatillo salsa before and I love it with roasted tomatillos.  How about adding a small amount of chicken broth?  Start with teaspoons and go from there.


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## YT2095 (Jan 17, 2007)

tomato or onion juice will work, and as Micheal says, olive oil will go waxy/thick below a certain temp, might be worth taking a little out and seeing how it goes when it gets to the temp you intend to serve it at.
just to make 100% sure first


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