To blend or...

[solar1]

not to blend?
Sometimes I throw everything in the blender. When I'm feeling lazy & don't want to wash the blender or I'm in the mood for chunky hot sauce I just chop every thing, that makes for a deadly bite every so often.

What's your preference?

 

[geeme]

To my way of thinking, "sauce" is blended to a puree (and frequently strained) while "salsa" isn't. So I guess the question is how you are going to use what you're making - if you're talking about something to dip chips in, I go both ways. On the other hand, if you're talking sauce to cook with, or as a condiment, I go both ways. (ha ha ha!) Just depends upon what I'm looking for at the moment.

 

[Hophead]

Blend!

 

[The Hot Pepper]

Preference? Smooth. But you can still skip the blender. Depends on how long you cook it. You can slow cook it until everything breaks down. You don't blend tomato sauce for pasta, you slow cook it for hours and it looks like a puree. Peppers are more fibrous. You will need to simmer a pretty long time but you can achieve a smooth sauce with slow cooking.

 

[Pepp3rFreak]

<-- What thehotpepper said! +1

For me if I'm making a sauce that will be demolished within a few days I'll skip the blending, but if I'm making something to last and share with friends I'll blend it.

 

[paulky_2000]

I usually blend, then simmer for a few hours in a crock pot....then strain the seeds and skin (through and old potato ricer), then re-heat to boiling....and can.