Smoked Salsa

May is a really odd month in North Dakota. One day it could be 70 degrees and the next day in the lower 20s. I typically don’t start grilling or smoking outside until the temperature doesn’t drop below freezing every night.  I’m pretty excited to start pumping out the smoker recipes on this site again and today I’m sharing a recipe for smoked salsa. 

Are you wondering how you can make a typical homemade salsa taste even better? Smoking the vegetables for salsa will help with that! I used some pecan wood pellets and couldn’t believe how much more flavor that added! 

No Smoker? 

If you don’t have a smoker but have a charcoal grill, you can turn that into a smoker without much extra equipment needed.  There are many DIY recipes out on the internet to make your own homemade smoker without paying the price of a smoker. If you are interested in turning your charcoal grill into a smoker, definitely look that up. 

Ingredients List 

Want to know why I used a certain ingredient or looking for substitutions? Check out this section. 

Tomatoes  -  Roma or Beefsteak tomatoes work great for this recipe.  

Onion - yellow, white, or red onions will be fine 

Jalapeno -  This pepper will produce a mild salsa. If you like heat try a habanero, scotch bonnet, or Carolina pepper. 

Garlic  -  I don’t like to peel garlic so I have a jar of already minced garlic in my fridge. Fresh peeled garlic can also be smoked on the grill. Add it to the other vegetables when smoking. 

How to make Smoked Salsa

Preheat smoker to 225 degrees. My Traeger smoker needs to be preheated at the smoke setting. Once it reaches 180 then it can be turned to whatever temp it needs to reach.  I’m not sure if all Traeger’s are like this or if it’s just this model. 

While the smoker is preheating, prep the vegetables. Slice the tomatoes and onions into quarters, then the jalapenos in half. 

Place them on sheet pan or plate and drizzle olive oil over the top and season them with salt and pepper. 

When the smoker is done preheating place the tomatoes, onions, and jalapenos on the grates. Smoke for 1 hr and 30 minutes. 

Remove the vegetables carefully, and add them to a blender with the cilantro and garlic. Taste to see if the salsa is seasoned properly and add more salt and pepper if needed. 

Puree until smooth. 

Serve with tortilla chips or top of nachos. 

Equipment Needed: 

Smoker: I have had my Traeger smoker for a very long time and I would recommend that brand to anyone wanting to learn how to smoke food. Traegers are kind of pricey but there are some very reasonably priced smokers for under $100. 

• Masterbuilt Charcoal Bullet Smoker. Amazon. ...
• Char-Broil American Gourmet Offset Smoker. Amazon. ...
• Char-Griller 2-2424 Table Top Charcoal Grill and Side Fire Box. Amazon. ...

Wood Chips: Traeger smokers require wood pellets instead of wood chips. There are so many different kinds of wood chips and you can find them at any hardware store. Places like Target and Wal-Mart also sell them. I’ve even seen wood chips at the grocery stores. 

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy 

How to Smoke Cheese 

Traeger Smoked Potatoes in Foil 

Smoked Lobster Tails 

Smoked Almond Recipe 

How to Brine A Chicken - Basic Chicken Brine Recipe 

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