Let’s face it, who hasn’t scarfed down an entire jar of salsa in one sitting? Admittedly, salsa is one of my all-time favorite condiments. I’m not one of those people who likes salsa on eggs, but I love all varieties of salsa with crisp tortilla chips. From the more traditional restaurant-style salsa to salsa verde and pico de gallo, salsa is both nutritious and delicious.

For centuries, salsa has been packaged in glass containers. As the safest, most environmentally-friendly packaging, glass containers are impermeable and air-tight, so salsa stays fresh for exceedingly long periods of time. And, glass is also the only widely used food packaging granted the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) status of ‘GRAS’ or Generally Regarded As Safe.

And, with so many options on store shelves, salsa brands are creating product differentiation from competitors by packaging their products in beautiful glass jars so you can see the salsa. This summer, BOB wanted to share with you some of his favorite salsas packaged in glass jars.

On The Border Mexican Grill & Cantina Medium Salsa

For a traditional yet satisfyingly smooth salsa, try out On the Border’s Medium Salsa. This salsa has all-natural ingredients, no preservatives and is gluten free. With a balance of smooth flavors, this salsa has enough spice to give it a hint of hotness, without being too hot. On The Border has different varieties of salsa, including Mild, Medium, Chunky and Organic, but Medium is my go-to salsa.

Drew’s Organics Chipotle Lime Salsa

Drew’s Chipotle Lime Salsa combines flavorful chipotle peppers with a squeeze of lime juice and a dash of sea salt, plus some dried poblano peppers for good measure (along with all of the obvious ingredients in salsa). The result is a complex, yet balanced smoky flavor with medium heat. This salsa is truly organic and does not contain any of the eight major allergens, and is perfect on your burrito for family taco night.

Stonewall Kitchen’s Fire Roasted Salsa

Stonewall Kitchen is known to take flavors to new, creative heights and there is no exception when it comes to their salsa. Stonewall’s Fire Roasted Salsa contains flavorful, fire roasted vegetables for a tasty smokiness accented with the bright flavors of cilantro, apples (yes, apples!) and lime for an explosion of taste. This salsa is a great topping for grilled fish or chicken, or with your favorite tortilla chips.

Gunther’s Chesapeake Bay Style Crab Salsa

Unlike the other salsas mentioned, Gunther’s Chesapeake Bay Style Crab Salsa is a unique, seafood inspired salsa. This salsa combines the finest Blue Crab claw meat with bell peppers, diced tomatoes, chili peppers and a special blend of herbs and spices to create a one-of-a-kind salsa. And, the glass container allows you to see the yummy pieces of Blue Crab claw meat.

Homemade Salsa

Some people like to make their own homemade salsa with fresh ingredients from their garden. My aunt makes an amazing homemade salsa that she puts in Mason jars and gives to everyone in the family. One summer, she gave us two Mason jars of salsa and I devoured them within days. Here’s the recipe, in case you’d like to give it a try.

Ingredients:
3 to 4 medium tomatoes, diced
1 medium onion, finely diced
1 large bell pepper (red, green, or yellow), seeded and finely diced
3 jalapeno peppers, seeded and finely minced
1/3 to 1/2 of a cilantro bushel (About 1/2 cup chopped)
2 large garlic cloves, pressed
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, mix together all of the veggies. Drain any excess juice.
2. Stir in lime juice and lightly (not too much) season with salt and pepper to taste.

Note: If you have a hand-cranked food processor, it works perfectly for this salsa. Put the jalapenos in first, then add the onion and cilantro, and then the bell peppers. Dice the tomatoes by hand, so you don’t lose too much juice.

If you or someone you know makes their own salsa, we’d love if you shared your recipe in the comments section below. Or, next time you’re at the grocery, BOB hopes you’ll try one of the salsas mentioned above. I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer and have time to enjoy some summer salsa.

Bon appétit!
BOB