Extra-Hot Yucatán-Style Roasted-Habanero Salsa (Chile Tamulado) Recipe

By
J. Kenji López-Alt
Kenji Lopez Alt
J. Kenji López-Alt
Culinary Consultant
Kenji is the former culinary director for Serious Eats and a current culinary consultant for the site. He is also a New York Times food columnist and the author of The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science.
Learn about Serious Eats' Editorial Process
Updated January 28, 2019
20160507-habanero-salsa-yucatan-09.jpg
Photographs: J. Kenji López-Alt

Why It Works

  • Charring the garlic and habaneros gives the salsa a smoky flavor.
  • A combination of grapefruit, lime, and orange juice replicates some of the floral, bitter aroma of Seville oranges if they are unavailable.

An incredibly fiery salsa from the Yucatán, made with charred garlic and habanero chiles. Use it sparingly on tacos, eggs, and anywhere you want a bit of brain-melting heat.

Recipe Details

Extra-Hot Yucatán-Style Roasted-Habanero Salsa (Chile Tamulado) Recipe

Active 15 mins
Total 30 mins
Serves 6 servings
Makes 3/4 cup
Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

  • 1 whole head garlic, split into cloves, cloves left unpeeled

  • 24 whole habanero chiles (about 6 ounces; 170g) (see notes)

  • 2 tablespoons juice from 1 grapefruit (1 ounce; 30ml) (see notes)

  • 2 tablespoons juice from 1 orange (1 ounce; 30ml) (see notes)

  • 2 tablespoons juice from 2 limes (1 ounce; 30ml) (see notes)

  • Salt

Directions

  1. Thread garlic cloves on a metal skewer and roast directly over a gas flame until well charred on all surfaces, about 5 minutes. Alternatively, roast in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, tossing, until charred on most surfaces, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl until cool enough to handle, then peel blackened skins and discard.

  2. Roast habaneros in a dry skillet over medium-high heat, tossing, until charred on most surfaces, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool. When cool enough to handle, pick out stems and discard. (See note; you may want to use gloves for this task.)

  3. Combine peeled garlic, habaneros, and grapefruit, orange, and lime juice in a blender or molcajete. Blend or pound until a smooth but still pulpy consistency is reached. Be very careful when opening blender or pounding in molcajete to avoid getting liquid or vapors near your eyes and nose. (It will burn your eyes and make you cough/sneeze.)

  4. Transfer salsa to a bowl, let rest for 15 minutes, then season to taste with salt. Salsa can be stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Special equipment

Blender or molcajete

Notes

Habanero peppers are extremely hot, so use caution when handling. Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin, and scrub your cutting board, knives, and blender or molcajete very thoroughly after working with the habaneros. This salsa is typically made with green habaneros, but ripe orange habaneros will work fine. Scotch bonnets can be used in place of habaneros if you can't find them. Seville oranges are sometimes available in Latin markets. If available, use 6 tablespoons Seville orange juice in place of the grapefruit, lime, and orange juice combination.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
27Calories
0gFat
6gCarbs
1gProtein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories27
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g0%
Saturated Fat 0g0%
Cholesterol 0mg0%
Sodium 198mg9%
Total Carbohydrate 6g2%
Dietary Fiber 1g2%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 50mg251%
Calcium 17mg1%
Iron 0mg2%
Potassium 146mg3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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