Salsa Grande, from Texas Best Smokehouse

When my dear mother came down to Corpus to visit in January for my son’s first birthday, she brought a present for me as well. That present was a jar of salsa she had acquired when she stopped at Texas Best Smokehouse, one of this fine state’s many roadside gifts to truckers and travelers. In the weeks that followed, with various family coming and going, the jar got shuffled around and sort of disappeared. This story has a happy ending, though, as I recently unearthed my long-lost salsa, which means I can bring it to the attention of anyone who might be traveling on Texas highways this summer. So, without further ado, here’s a look at Salsa Grande!

Ingredients:

Tomatoes, Habanero Peppers, Jalapeno Peppers, Onions, Salt, Vinegar, Garlic, Cilantro, Spices

I’m excited about this list for two reasons. First, it’s very simple. There’s nothing in here that doesn’t need to be in an honest salsa. Even better, the second ingredient is freakin’ habaneros. That’s awesome.

Appearance:

Salsa Grande sits somewhere between a typical salsa and a thin spaghetti sauce in terms of thickness. It is quite chunky, but not to the point where you can eat it with a fork. As expected, this one has a lovely tomato-red hue, with lots of seeds and herbs floating around.

Smell and Taste:

Aside from the obvious tomato smell, I was very pleased to note that the habaneros really do stand out. Though this one doesn’t have the roasted scent that I’ve grown pretty fond of in salsas, it does come across as fresh and inviting. And hey, it tastes pretty good, too!

Ratings:

FIRE	FLAVOR

My first bite was a little inconclusive. I knew I liked the flavor, but I couldn’t tell how hot the salsa was. So, I dug in, this time scooping up as much solid matter as possible. That made a world of difference; not only was the flavor even more addicting, but the the heat skyrocketed. Salsa Grande is a strong Mean. I won’t quite label it anything higher, since I can still (mostly) feel my mouth and tongue, but there is definitely an impressive kick in this jar. I also want to stress even further that this is delicious. There’s nothing particularly unique about this salsa, but it is further evidence that you don’t need fancy, gimmicky ingredients to create a Notable flavor.

Suggested Uses:

I actually took a break from my normal corn tortilla chips, and decided to eat this salsa with some pita chips flavored with parmesan, garlic, and herb. Absolutely delicious. If you can swing it, try that combination out. Otherwise, this one is your usual table salsa, good for practically anything. Just don’t give it to the chilephobic people in your life.

Final Word:

Whoops! My last Salsa Sunday post was nearly a month ago. But hey, I’m just glad I found this stuff when I did. Thanks, Mom! For the rest of you, if you find yourself traveling across this gigantic state of ours, do yourself a favor and stop in one of these Smokehouses if you can. There’s all sorts of good things to find, not the least of which is some pretty awesome salsa.