Black Salsa

History & Origin

Black salsa is one of the most distinctive and flavourful salsas of the Mexican taqueria tradition. Its name comes from its dark, almost black colour, achieved by toasting dried chillies and garlic directly over the flame until they char. This controlled carbonisation technique may seem aggressive, but it is precisely what gives the salsa its unique character: deeply smoky flavours, bitter in the best sense of the word, and a complexity no other salsa can match. Black salsa is particularly popular at the suadero, tripe and longaniza taquerias of Mexico City, where it is offered as the most intense option on the salsa bar. The taqueros who prepare this salsa know that the exact degree of toasting is crucial: the chillies must darken until almost black but without turning to ash, a balance that requires experience and constant attention. Morita chilli provides a smokiness similar to chipotle, arbol chilli gives the heat and guajillo provides the base and colour. When ground together with equally charred garlic and onion, the result is a salsa with a slightly grainy texture and layer upon layer of flavour. It is a salsa for the brave, for those who seek intensity and do not fear heat, but its complexity goes far beyond simple burning in the mouth.