Salsa.

I have been futzing with a homemade salsa for years. I like the look of yours but I have to ask... how does it yield 2 cups (16 ounces) when you start with 28 ounces of tomatoes!?

I found a simple one:

A 15oz can of fire roasted tomatoes
Two garlic cloves dry roasted on a cast iron or non-stick pan until blackened and blistered (roast with the papery skin on, then remove when done)
One chipotle pepper from a can
A wedge of onion... use an amount that looks proper
Put all of that into a blender and then pour into a bowl
To the bowl add finely chopped cilantro, the juice of half a lime and about ¾ tsp of salt. Mix and put into the fridge. The roasting of the garlic is nice. It has a bold, bright flavor and a touch of smoke from the chipotle.

That's a good point.  There is a place here that uses a noticeable amount of cumin in their house salsa and I always think it's perfect.  But salsa is such a weird thing.  I've seen salsa recipes with no onion or garlic.  I've seen salsas made with just dried chiles, water and salt and then just throw it all into a blender.  But cumin is always good, IMO.  

I like it smooth too. I usually blend the bejesus out of it. I like the Rotel but I prefer to get the heat and flavor from a chipotle or the adobo sauce in the can of chipotles. I don't think I have ever added sugar but I feel like there is no wrong. I remember watching an episode of Rick Bayless and he was making something that basically translated to "lazy ass salsa". Guys in Mexico would get together and drink cerveza and light the grill. Then place tomatoes, onions, peppers, maybe some garlic on the grill and just let them sweat and cook down slowly... drinking cerveza the whole time. Then when it was time, toss it all into a molcajete and crush it up and then eat it with homemade corn tortilla chips that esposa or abuela made that afternoon. I tried it a few times and it came out really good.  There is a little snack place in the bowling alley (I know it sounds weird) and it's run by a Mexican woman who makes her own salsa.  We ordered a big plate of nachos (she makes her own tortilla chips too) and I went back and asked her for more salsa.  She gave me a frown and said, "I'm making more right now" and pointed to the stove.  There was a pot bubbling with some red goodness.  I don't know when salsa should just be 'fresh and raw' or when it should be cooked down, etc. but she made some outstanding salsa.  

My grandmother used to work at The Mexican Village in Kilgore TX, 60 or 70 years ago. She gave me the recipe for their salsa but it sells commercially so I don’t think I should share.

The recipe in Post No. 1 is extremely close. Good Stuff!