SALSA MANZANA OAXAQUENA – Smoky, Tangy, and Sweet Like Fall Should Be

Salsa Manzana Oaxaqueña Recipe – Smoky Pasilla Chile & Roasted Apple Salsa

Intro

TJ Steele has been a close friend of mine for over a decade. Our friendship started with a random text from a 201 area code that read, “I heard you could find me beef head?” We’ve been friends ever since.

Aside from being an incredibly talented chef, TJ knows how to have a good time and keep the vibe right — which is probably why we get along so well. On a recent (and unsuccessful) turkey-hunting trip to his place in upstate New York, we decided to make a salsa inspired by the season and the ingredients around us in October.

TJ owns and runs Claro BK, a Michelin-starred Oaxacan restaurant in Gowanus. We’ve cooked plenty of dinners and events together over the years, but this salsa has to be one of my favorite things we’ve ever made. It’s sweet, spicy, and tangy — perfectly balanced.

The pasilla Oaxaqueño, also known as pasilla mixe, comes from Oaxaca’s Sierra Norte region and is one of the most distinctive chiles I’ve ever worked with. It’s smoky, spicy, and packed with a deep, savory flavor that makes salsas sing. I know it may seem strange not to see tomatoes or tomatillos in a salsa, but the apples and chiles pair in a way that tricks your brain into thinking they’re there.

This recipe was born out of collaboration, but really, it’s the product of two friends spending a week listening to jazz, not killing any turkeys, cooking, and catching a groove. I recommend you do the same: throw on WWOZ 90.7 FM out of New Orleans, kick back, and let the vibe guide you.

Why This Salsa Works

🍎 Sweet + Smoky Harmony → Apples + pasilla Oaxaqueño = deep balance.
🔥 Layers of Flavor → Ground spices, steeped chiles, and roasted fruit.
🥄 Savory-Sweet Finish → Maple syrup ties everything together.
🤝 A Salsa Born from Friendship → Inspired by a trip, jazz, and good vibes.

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Ingredients

YIELD: a little over 1 pint

• 615 g Gala apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 2-inch chunks (about 4 medium apples)

• 425 g apple cider vinegar (about 1 ¾ cups), divided

• 25 g pasilla mixe chile (pasilla Oaxaqueño), seeded and stemmed (about 2 large chiles)

• 1.5 g cinnamon stick (about 2 small sticks)

• 0.8 g whole allspice (about 8 berries)

• 0.5 g whole cloves (about 6)

• 25 g Diamond Crystal kosher salt (about 4 tsp), divided

• 20 g maple syrup (about 1 Tbsp)

• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Instructions

1️⃣ Preheat the Oven

Heat a Gozney or oven to 500 °F (260 °C).
Alternatively, use your home oven on its highest temperature and finish under the broiler.

2️⃣ Prepare the Spice Blend

Grind cinnamon, allspice, and cloves into a fine powder using a spice grinder or molcajete. Set aside.

3️⃣ Steep the Chiles

In a small pot, combine pasilla mixe chiles, 400 g of apple cider vinegar, and a pinch of salt.
Simmer gently, then remove from heat and let steep 15 minutes.

4️⃣ Roast the Apples

Toss apple chunks with salt, pepper, and a few pinches of the spice mix.
Spread on a roasting tray and roast 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until blistered and softening.

5️⃣ Add the Chile Liquid

Pour 1 cup of the chile steeping liquid over the apples and continue roasting 10–15 minutes, until caramelized and tender. Cool.

6️⃣ Mash It All Together

In a molcajete, grind softened chiles with a splash of their steeping liquid and salt until a smooth paste forms.
Add roasted apples and mash to your preferred texture — rustic or smooth.

7️⃣ Season to Taste

Finish with the remaining vinegar, maple syrup, and salt. Adjust until balanced: smoky, tangy, sweet.

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Tips & Tricks

🍏 Apple Swap → Try Honeycrisp or Fuji for extra sweetness.
🔥 Chile Hack → Can’t find pasilla Oaxaqueño? Use a mix of pasilla + chipotle.
🎶 Set the Mood → Jazz station WWOZ 90.7 FM = essential.
🫙 Storage → Keeps 5 days in the fridge; flavor deepens with time.

Tools I Used

• Gozney Pizza Oven

• Molcajete or mortar & pestle

• Roasting pan

• Spice grinder or coffee mill

Make It & Show Me

Make this salsa, throw on some jazz, and tag me @goatboyintl — I want to see what you pair it with.