Ranchero Sauce, which is essentially cooked Salsa Cruda, is a chunky tomato-based sauce that originated in northern Mexico ranching country.  This salsa enhances just about anything, including mashed potatoes, baked potatoes, eggs, cooked vegetables, and so much more.  It tastes good, and its good for you too!  

For best results, prepare and cut up all ingredients before cooking, using "stir fry" techniques.  For best flavor, use the freshest ingredients that you can find.  I prefer very firm Roma tomatoes, but any type of tomato will work, as long as its firm.  You can even use canned tomatoes if you prefer.

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Special tool:  Cast iron 4-quart chicken cooker or large frying pan or large frying pan
Preparation time:  About 15 minutes
Cooking time:  About 20 minutes
Yield:  6 generous servings

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1 pound firm, ripe tomatoes, preferably the Roma variety, chopped and diced
1 medium white onion, chopped (yellow or red variety can be substituted)
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded, veins and stems removed, diced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hickory-flavored liquid smoke
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon vinegar, apple cider
1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup Chicken or Turkey stock, use homemade stock for superior taste

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In a cast-iron chicken cooker, heat olive oil on high.  When oil is hot, add diced onion, garlic and peppers.  Cook, sti

Reduce heat to low, add diced tomatoes, chicken stock, salt, sugar, liquid smoke, cumin and vinegar. Stir.  Cover pot and simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes.  If liquid evaporates, water or additional chicken stock may be added.  Sauce will be ready when hot and all ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Remove from heat and stir in cilantro.  Sauce will keep for three or four days if it is kept in a tighly covered container in a refrigerator.

Left:  Close-up view of Ranchero sauce, cooking in a large chicken cooker.  Right:  Ranchero sauce, in the pan, on the range, and cooling, almost ready to spoon almost anything that you can imagine.

As mentioned in the introduction, this is essentially cooked salsa.  This salsa is good for you, as it uses all naturaly ingredients and has very few calories.  You'll find many uses for this salsa, and  after tasing how good this is, and how easy it is to make, you won't want to use the commercial, bottled stuff again.

 

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