• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

La Piña en la Cocina

Embracing my Mexican heritage and sharing all the wonderful flavors, colors and foods I grew up with. Join me on this journey as I also learn new foods and cooking techniques. Dedicated to my parents Ramiro and Blanca.

  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Mexican at Heart
    • Media
  • Contact
  • Disclosure/Privacy Policy
Home » Salsa~Salsa » Smoky Corn Salsa. Cooking With Tequila!

Smoky Corn Salsa. Cooking With Tequila!

July 22, 20191 Comment

61 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Yummly
Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Smoky corn salsa is one in a small series of tequila recipes I decided would be fun to develop. Inspired by the current tequila campaign I am working on! The tequila adds a little sweet, floral and sharp note to this delicious corn salsa. Before you say no, remember that you can totally opt out of using the tequila. I have prepared this recipe numerous times without the tequila. The added vinegar preserves the salsa for up to 6 months refrigerated.

Cooking with spirits adds a subtle flavor, but it is not that noticeable

Adding the tequila to the corn salsa is totally optional. Either way, you will still enjoy a tasty recipe that you can share with your friends and family. Don’t skip the roasting of the corn in the beginning. If you have the opportunity to grill the corn on a wood fire or charcoal grill, even better.

On the plate above covered in a warm tomatillo salsa and smoky corn salsa is a big chicken tamal! Click the link to see my family’s chicken tamal recipe. I get a craving and that’s all it takes for me to pull out my steamer and prepare a small batch of tamales! https://pinaenlacocina.com/my-familys-chicken-tamales/

collage of fresh corn
salsa in the skillet
salsa in a mason jar

Smoky Corn Salsa. Cooking With Tequila

It's summer time and I am taking advantage of all the fresh corn that is abundant to prepare this smoky corn salsa! This is a small series of recipes inspired by tequila! Cooking with tequila! Sometimes I do like to add it to the food too, lol! Enjoy the process and learn new things.
No ratings yet
Print Pin Rate
Course: Salsa
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes
Total Time: 1 hour hour
Servings: 8 Servings

Ingredients

  • 2 large dried chile ancho pods
  • 4 ears of fresh corn
  • 2 tbs avocado oil
  • 3/4 cup red onion diced fine
  • 3 large cloves of garlic minced
  • 1 large jalapeño minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2-1 tsp crushed chile piquin or red pepper flakes
  • Juice of 1 large lime
  • 1/3 cup white vinegar
  • 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup silver tequila optional
  • 1/2 tbs chile limon seasoning tajin brand
  • 2 tbs cilantro chopped

Instructions

  • Remove the stems and seeds from the chile ancho pods. Drop them into a pot of simmering water and cook for 10 minutes. Stir after 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
  • Remove the corn form the cob. Discard cobs. Preheat a large skillet to medium heat for a few minutes. Add half of the corn and spread out into a thin even layer. Let the corn cook until it begins to blacken and toast a little. Turn as needed. Transfer corn to a bowl. Repeat with remaining corn.
  • If you prefer to skip the step above, you can. I prefer cooking the corn this way because it adds a little smoky element to the salsa.
  • In that same large skillet you cooked the corn, add 2 tablespoons of oil and heat to medium. Add the onion, garlic and jalapeño. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Saute for 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the chile ancho to a food processor and pulse to chop fine. Or you can blend it smooth with a little water. Add chile ancho, corn and remaining ingredients, minus the cilantro to the skillet. Stir well to combine. Continue cooking at a simmer for 7-8 minutes. Taste for salt. Fold in the cilantro before serving. Serve at room temperature. Serve with chips or as a salsa for your favorite tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, flautas and tamales!

Notes

That little bit of tequila adds a little hint of sharpness, sweetness ans a floral note without over powering the other ingredients and flavors. The vinegar adds acidity, which I really enjoy, plus it will preserve the salsa for a few weeks in the refrigerator.
Tried this recipe?Mention @pinaenlacocina or tag #pinaenlacocina!
There a few ways you can cook the corn to achieve a little smoky flavor for your salsa. Rinse corn with husk on under water. Shake off excess water and place on indirect side(cool side) of hot grill. Close lid. Cook the corn for about 20 minutes, turning now and then. Carefully peel back husk to expose the corn. Move corn over to the direct heat, careful that husk doesn’t catch fire. Char the corn in spots, turning as needed. ready!
If grilling the corn is not an option, guess what? You can achieve the same results by using a large cast iron comal(skillet or griddle).
Second way to achieve a smoky and toasted corn for this recipe is on the stove top. Carefully cut the corn from the cob. Toast and char lightly in a dry cast iron skillet, turning as needed. Don’t overcrowd the pan or the corn will just steam.

If you are used to using dried chiles in your recipes like chile piquin or chile de arbol, you can grind down your own red pepper flakes! The first time I prepared this recipe, I used dried chile piquin. It added even more smokt flavor to the recipe. Really tasty!

As you can see from the photos, I use several methods to cook the corn. It just depends on what kind of mood I am in and how much time I have to dedicate to the recipe.

Out of all the large dried red chiles, I find that the chile ancho has the thinnest skin when re-hydrated. It can be chopped by hand easily without worrying that the skins will be tough to chop or chew.

Here is the dried chile piquin, both whole and crushed in my molcajete. A little goes a long way when it comes to this chile pepper. Both the fresh and dried pack a punch of heat and smokiness! It is my absolute favorite chile pepper.

If you are still unsure about adding the tequila, just try adding a few tablespoons to start and let it cook down for a few minutes. Or just sip on it while you are cooking! I have been known to do that myself, lol!

I enjoy using a variety of fresh hot peppers as well. My first choice is always serrano peppers. I also like to buy jalapeños, red fresno, habanero and chile guero when I can find it. The second time I prepared the smoky corn salsa, I added some red fresno. They are all delicious!

The smoky corn salsa was perfect on this corn tortilla quesadilla with plenty of melted Oaxaca cheese and squash blossoms from my little garden.

Like this:

Like Loading...

Filed Under: Dried Chiles, Salsa~Salsa Tagged With: Corn, Corn Salsa, Salsa, Tequila Recipes

Previous Post: « Recipe Cards-Recipes At A Glance!
Next Post: Reverse Marinated Tequila Lime Chicken. »

Reader Interactions

Trackbacks

  1. Sparkling Tequila Summer Cocktail! - La Piña en la Cocina says:
    July 24, 2019 at 5:12 pm

    […] Smoky Corn Salsa https://pinaenlacocina.com/smoky-corn-salsa-cooking-with-tequila/ […]

    Reply

Would Love to Hear From YouCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Hi, my name is Sonia Mendez Garcia. My parents Ramiro and Blanca Mendez moved to the United States from Monterrey, Mexico in 1963. I am first generation Mexican American born in Los Angeles, California. Cooking has always been one of my passions in life. This is my journey and I can't wait to see what the future holds. Read More…

Never Miss a Recipe

Get all the latest directly to your inbox

View Privacy Policy Before Subscribing

View our privacy policy

Mariscos-Seafood

Crispy Masa Crusted Shrimp and Poppers

popper with cheese and bacon filling

More Ceviche & Aguachile!

aguachile verde in a heart shaped cazuela

Filetes de Pescado al Ajillo-Garlic Butter & Lime Cod

Tacos Dorados! Cuatro Vientos!

crunchy tacos

You might also like…

Tomato Salsa Recipes. Salsa de Mesa- Table Salsa

Escabeche with Cauliflower

Chicken Mole-Easy Sauce Recipe!

Copyright © 2025 LA PIÑA EN LA COCINA

61 shares
MENU & SEARCH
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • About
    • Mexican at Heart
    • Media
  • Contact
  • Disclosure/Privacy Policy
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Do not sell my personal information.
Cookie Settings Accept
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
Save & Accept
 

Loading Comments...
 

    %d

      Rate This Recipe

      Your vote:




      A rating is required
      A name is required
      An email is required