faq

There is not a difference between our red chile sauce and enchilada sauce. They are the same products. They have different names because outside of the southwest there are not a lot of people that are familiar with red chile sauce. It is known as enchilada sauce.

El Pinto uses flame roasted and hand peeled green chiles in all of our products to get a delicious roasted flavor. We are the only brand that we know of that hand peels the chile. Most other companies used canned chiles or they steam peel their chiles. Steam peeling involves using and acid solution to dissolve any remaining peel. We work with our supplier every year to make improvements so there is less peel in the chile but it is impossible to get every last bit of peel.

El Pinto salsas and sauces are good for two years unopened. The expiration date is printed on the side of the lid. Once the jar is opened, we recommend that you enjoy the jar within seven days. El Pinto does not use preservatives or vinegars to prolong the shelf life. Seven days is a guideline and the jar will often last longer than that. If you notice a change in flavor of any mold growth then it is time to throw the jar away. If it has been less than seven days, please contact El Pinto at elpinto@elpinto.com and let us know. If you cannot eat a jar within seven days you can freeze any remaining amount. You can freeze it in an ice cube tray and then place the cubes in a freezer proof bag. When you need salsa you can pop out one or two cubes. We also sell 3oz cups that are perfect for individuals.

We can ship to APO addresses and to other countries. The order will need to be completed over the telephone. You can contact Christine at 505-898-1771 ext. 132 and she can help you complete your order.

We no longer offer free shipping as an ongoing promotion. We evaluated this promotion with increasing shipping costs and we simply could not sustain the promotion and make money. We will have different promotions and discounts for our products. You will get these promotions if you sign up for our newsletter at www.elpinto.com.

We would like to assure you that we do not use chile from California. We have had the same chile supplier since we started our company. We recently had our nutrition information reevaluated and the company that reevaluated it put Anaheim green chile in the ingredient statement. The Anaheim is actually the main name of green chile and then there is the New Mexico underneath that. Underneath that there are different types like the Sandia, Arizona19, Big Jim, etc. So all green chile is actually under the Anaheim category. Below is a link to an article with more information about it. Again, we do not get our chile from California and we have not changed our recipe. You can read more about the different types of green chiles in this article: http://www.fieryfoodscentral.com/2010/09/30/glossary-of-chile-pepper-terms.

All of our salsas, red chile sauce, enchilada sauces, and roasted green chile are onion free. Our green chile sauces have a small amount of caramelized onions.

Our jarred salsa tastes different from the restaurant salsa because the jarred salsa has to be cooked in the canning process. The restaurant salsa is not cooked. They both have the same ingredients.

We do not have nutrition information for our restaurant menu items. We are a single restaurant are not required to have them. We make everything from scratch every day. Let your server know what you are looking for and we will be happy to make substitutions. You can also look at the menu and plan ahead Dining Menu. If you have any questions about the menu please contact elpinto@elpinto.com.

El Pinto is open seven days a week. We are open Monday-Thursday from 11:00 AM-9:00 PM, Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 AM-10:00 PM, and Sunday from 10:30 AM-9:00 PM. There is Sunday brunch from 10:30 AM-2:00 PM.

There are a lot of things that can be ordered from El Pinto. We have a gluten free menu that has over twenty items on it. Let your server know that you follow a gluten free diet when you arrive.

Both our red and green chile sauces are vegan. We do not use any meat stocks. Our beans and rice are also vegan. We only use lard in our tamales. Everything is fried in rice bran oil. Pease take a look at any of our menus. You can contact elpinto@elpinto.com for menu questions. Let your server know that you follow a vegan diet when you arrive.

You can order a gift certificate in any amount. For your convenience, you can purchase and send a gift card to yourself or as a gift through our online process. Simply click here for a gift certificate.