When you hear the word salsa what likely comes to mind is a red dip served with tortilla chips or as a condiment for tacos and other Mexican and Mexican-American foods. And while the word encompasses much more than that—it translates as simply “sauce” and there are many different kinds of salsa—for the sake of this article, we will focus primarily on that tasty tomato-based bowl of goodness.

TWO WAYS TO ADD WOOD-FIRED FLAVOR

There are (at least) two ways to add smoky flavor to salsa.

Smoke the vegetables over low heat. To get the boldest wood-fired flavor, smoke the tomatoes, as well as the jalapeño, and even the garlic, on your Traeger over low heat. To do so, place the whole vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet. Smoke them at 225°F with Super Smoke if available. At this temperature it may take as long as 90 minutes for the vegetables to become tender enough to puree.

Char over high heat. This quicker method will give your salsa a more roasted, less smoky flavor. To char the vegetables, cook them on the Traeger over high heat (450°F to 500°F) until tender and charred in spots.

Or do a little of both. You can also smoke the veg first for a bit and then crank the heat.

PUREE THE COOKED VEGETABLES

For a salsa that’s perfect for tortilla chips or dolloping on a taco, consider pureeing the cooked ingredients.

You can do it the traditional Mexican way by grinding the ingredients in a molcajete (a large mortar and pestle usually made from volcanic rock). Salsa made in a molcajete may have a chunkier texture but fans say a purer flavor. Alternatively, you can chop the ingredients by hand.

For pureed salsa, use a food process or blender and pulse to your desired consistency.

FINISH WITH FRESH FLAVORS – AND DON’T FORGET THE SALT!

The deep roasty flavor of smoked salsa benefits from fresh ingredients added before serving.

One key fresh ingredient: lime juice. It not only adds its own zingy flavor, but its acidity corrals other flavors and brings them to the forefront. Don’t have limes on hand? Lemon will work, too, as would a little vinegar.

Fresh cilantro (never, ever dried) is another must-add for the best salsa. In our opinion, the more cilantro, the merrier.

Chopped raw onion gives salsa a bold punch. While some folks like to char the onion along with the tomatoes and jalapeños, we prefer the kick of finely chopped raw onion. Red ones not only add flavor but also color. Mild white onions are your next best choice and sliced scallions would work in a pinch. If you only have the stronger yellow onions on hand, soak them in ice water to tame them some before adding to the salsa. Sweet onions, like Vidalias, would get ambushed by the other ingredients in salsa and so are not really worth adding.

Season your salsa generously with salt. When used correctly, salt should bring out flavors and unify them—and not make the dish taste salty. For the best flavor, use kosher salt or sea salt over table salt as the iodine in the latter can affect the flavor of your salsa.