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Salsa Tamulada - Thick Dried Chilli Salsa from Tamaulipas

Name: Salsa Tamulada - Thick Dried Chilli Salsa from Tamaulipas
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients: 3 Ancho chilli; 3 Mulato chilli; 0.5 tsp Dried Mexican oregano; 2 Pasilla chilli; 3 cloves Garlic; to taste Salt; 3 tbsp Lard; 0.5 tsp Ground cumin

45 min (20 prep + 25 cook) Medium 6 servings Tamaulipas

Edmond Bojalil

Recetas Mexas

Published: 27 Mar 2026 · Updated: 30 Mar 2026

Thick salsa of dried chillies refried in lard, a speciality of Tamaulipas.

About this recipe

Salsa tamulada is the traditional salsa of Tamaulipas, a northern state with a gastronomy little known outside Mexico but tremendously rich. It is a thick salsa of refried dried chillies - ancho, mulato and pasilla - fried in lard until concentrated, with garlic, cumin and oregano, resulting in a dark and aromatic paste of deep flavour that envelops any meat in its intensity.

History & Origin

Tamaulipas is a border state in north-east Mexico, bordering Texas and the Gulf of Mexico. Its gastronomy reflects this geographical and cultural position: influences from the arid north, the coastal culture of the Gulf, and the ranch tradition it shares with Nuevo León and Coahuila. Salsa tamulada is representative of Tamaulipan ranch cookery, where dried chillies were the basis of salsas because they kept better than fresh ones in the warm, dry northern climate. The process of refriendo in lard - a technique Mexicans inherited from the encounter between the pre-Hispanic chilli tradition and the lard brought by the Spanish - transforms the chillies from a dry, smoky flavour into a concentrated, glossy, deep paste with a richness that only animal fat can provide. Tamulada is used primarily to accompany cabrito al pastor, grilled meats and northern tamales, and is one of the least documented salsas outside its region of origin despite its extraordinary quality.

Estimated cost

£5.00

Total cost

£0.83

Per serving

* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets

Nutritional information per serving

Calories

Protein

Carbohydrates

Fat

Fibre

200mg

Sodium

* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.

Method

1
Wipe the dried chillies with a damp cloth. Open them and remove the seeds and veins. Lightly toast them on the dry comal, 30 seconds per side, without burning them.
💡 The mulato chilli is essential for the chocolate depth of this salsa - do not omit it.
2
Soak the toasted chillies in hot water for 20 minutes. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the soaking water.
3
Blend the soaked chillies with the garlic, cumin and oregano. Add the reserved soaking water gradually until you have a thick but pourable paste.
💡 Taste the soaking water - if it is very bitter, replace it with fresh water.
4
Heat the lard in a saucepan over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Pour in the chilli paste all at once (beware of spattering) and fry, stirring constantly, for 15–20 minutes until the salsa thickens, turns deep red and the lard rises to the surface.
💡 The correct point is when the salsa pulls away from the bottom of the pan and has the texture of a thick paste.
5
Season with salt. Serve hot as an accompaniment to cabrito, grilled meat or northern tamales.