Reader Shimfee asks:
Lawdog, I’m here in SW FL. What is “rotel?”
Rotel is, quite simply, canned tomatoes and green chilies. ‘Rotel’ is the brand name of the first company to produce this little wonder, but like ‘kleenex’, ‘vaseline’ and ‘band-aid’, ‘rotel’ is becoming the generic name for canned tomatoes and green chilies.
They produce several different varieties of Rotel, from “Milder” all the way to “Extra Hot” and they’ve got whole, extra chunky, and various flavoured varieties.
I keep several cans of Rotel handy in the pantry. Mostly I use the “Milder” to spice up soups, but the others come in handy, too.
A can of Rotel can be added to anything that calls for tomatoes, if you want some extra zest.
LawDog
yep even if I buy the generic stuff I still call it Rotel, in a lesser way kinda like asking someone what kind of coke they want.
I’m in the mountains in north Georgia and I know what Rotel is. The Ingle’s grocery store stocks it. My sister used to cook some real good chicken enchiladas and used Rotel. We’ve used Rotel in some other dishes too. I’d use it a lot more often, but unfortunately, some of my family don’t like it near as well as I do.
mustanger98 on THR
It is good if you like some extra zest AND…if you like tomatoes. 😀
I’ve found I can disguise it some (gotta get it by 4 little pairs of discerning culinary pickiness) if I drain it some and hand chop it further (smaller indiscernable pieces) or give it a whirl in the processer before adding.
Ro-Tel is one of the basic staples in my SHTF food stores. It will make anything taste better.
Rotel is the best thing since sliced bread, but for God’s sake, avoid the ‘hot’ variety. Your tongue will thank you.
In a pinch you can use it as a spaghetti sauce. Good stuff!
And here Iwas thinking of the South African Ratel, an IFV or a african honey badger, a cute but animal you should respect.
It’s a Texas thang, isn’t it? My husband told me that if I better figure out what rotel was and how to use it properly if I was gonna be the wife of a Texan..LOL!!!
Oh, yes, Rotel. We use it for our favorite whose-turn-is-it-to-cook, Oh-look-at-the-time, how about rice and beans? Pressure cooker with rice (10 minutes) and while rice is cooking, a small pot with can of Rotel (any variety), a can (or two) of any beans is heating.
Dinner is served.
Back in the early ’80’s we lived in Williamsburg, VA. Party time came around and, as with all Texas-style parties, that meant “Rotel Cheese Dip” was on the menu. After searching from Richmond to Norfolk, we finally found a hoity-toity little shop in Wmsburg that sold them on their “import/specialty foods” aisle…at $1.99 per can thank you very much. On our next trip “home” we loaded up two cases of .30 cents per can Rotel and, much to the delight of our friends and neighbors, imported them into VA and gave ’em away as gifts!
When we were stationed in Germany, there wasn’t a care package sent from home that didn’t include several cans of Rotel, either! Just something about those green chilies and tomatoes that causes it to be included on my list of comfort foods…
Rotel is a necessity in the pantry; it is a good starting point for an infinite variety of dishes, especially those with meat, rice, or beans.
Here in Californina it’s the easiest (and best) way to make guacamole.
2 avocados + 1 can Rotel
Most recent use: Pot-O-Chili
The Dip:
1/2 lb Chorizo
1 lb ground beef
1 jar Hormel real bacon bits
2 cans Rotels (I usually do a mix of 1 can regular & 1 can milder if making it for my friends)
2 lb Velveeta almost but not quite entirely unlike cheese foodstuff.
Cut the chorizo out of the casing and pan fry. Pan fry the beef in the chorizo drippings. Drain the Rotels. Cube the Velveeta & mix everything together in a crock-pot. Put the crock-pot on high & stir the mess so it melts & mixes evenly. Set crock-pot to low or “keep warm” and serve with sturdy corn chips and the number of a reputible cardiologist.
So, how much Rotel is needed to make roast Ratel edible?
Heh..
Rob
While we’re on the subject, when you make chili cheese dip, try canned turkey chili instead of regular canned chili; you won’t get that layer of grease on top.