broth or water and simmer for 30 minutes. The sauce may be puréed in a blender to the desired consistency.
Variations
To thicken the sauce, make a roux by sautéing 1 tablespoon (15 mL) flour in 1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegetable oil, taking care not to let it burn. Slowly stir the roux into the sauce and cook to the desired thickness. Coriander and Mexican oregano may be added to taste. For extra heat, add more New Mexican chiles or a serrano or two.
Dave’s Fresh Red Chile Sauce
Yield: About 3 cups (708 mL)
Heat Scale: Mild to Medium
This method of making chile sauce differs from others using fresh New Mexican chiles because these chiles aren’t roasted and peeled first. Because of the high sugar content of fresh red chiles, this sauce is sweeter than most. I harvested some chiles from Dave’s garden one late summer day, made a batch of this sauce, and ate every drop as a soup! It makes a tasty enchilada sauce, too.
¼ cup (59 mL) vegetable oil
8 fresh red New Mexican chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped,
or more to taste
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
4 cups (.95 L) water
¼ teaspoon (1.25 mL) ground cumin
1 tablespoon (15 mL) minced fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) Mexican oregano leaves
Salt, to taste
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chiles, onion, and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft, about 7 minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, uncovered.
3. In a blender, purée the sauce in batches. Return it to the saucepan and cook until it thickens to the desired consistency. Add salt to taste.
Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Yield: About 4 cups (.95 L)
Heat Scale: Medium
The smoked red jalapeño, known as the chipotle chile, has gained such popularity that there are even a couple of cookbooks devoted to it! It works particularly well with barbecuing and grilling, both of which have considerable associations with smoke.
3 dried chipotle chiles
1 cup (236 mL) very hot water
1½ tablespoons (22.5 mL) vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 red bell peppers, quartered, stems and seeds removed
2 onions, peeled and sliced thickly
3 tomatoes, halved
2 cups (473 mL) catsup
¼ cup (59 mL) Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup (59 mL) red wine vinegar
¼ cup (59 mL) brown sugar
1. In a bowl, combine the chipotle chiles with the water and soak for 1 hour or longer to soften. Chop the chipotles finely.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Place the bell peppers, sliced onions, and tomatoes on the grill over a medium fire and grill until they are soft and slightly blackened. Remove and allow to cool. Peel and chop the vegetables.
4. In a large sauce pan over medium heat, combine all the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a low boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Let the mixture cool and purée in a blender or food processor until smooth. You can thin the mixture with water if you desire.
Louisiana Barbecue Sauce
Yield: 3 cups (708 mL)
Heat Scale: Medium
This is my version of a recipe that originally appeared in Mary Land’s Louisiana Cookery (1954). I have spiced it up a bit—okay, more than a bit—and added a few other spices. This sauce is served with grilled seafood and chicken, but if you wanted to sneak it onto some steamed shrimp or crawdads, I wouldn’t turn you in to the food police. It will keep in the refrigerator for a week and freezes nicely.
¼ cup (59 mL) diced onion
1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 (15½-ounce [434 g]) can diced tomatoes, drained
⅓ cup (79 mL) honey
2 tablespoons (30 mL) distilled white vinegar
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Louisiana-style hot sauce, or more to taste
2 teaspoons (10 mL) dry mustard
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) dried
Variations
To thicken the sauce, make a roux by sautéing 1 tablespoon (15 mL) flour in 1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegetable oil, taking care not to let it burn. Slowly stir the roux into the sauce and cook to the desired thickness. Coriander and Mexican oregano may be added to taste. For extra heat, add more New Mexican chiles or a serrano or two.
Dave’s Fresh Red Chile Sauce
Yield: About 3 cups (708 mL)
Heat Scale: Mild to Medium
This method of making chile sauce differs from others using fresh New Mexican chiles because these chiles aren’t roasted and peeled first. Because of the high sugar content of fresh red chiles, this sauce is sweeter than most. I harvested some chiles from Dave’s garden one late summer day, made a batch of this sauce, and ate every drop as a soup! It makes a tasty enchilada sauce, too.
¼ cup (59 mL) vegetable oil
8 fresh red New Mexican chiles, stems and seeds removed, chopped,
or more to taste
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
4 cups (.95 L) water
¼ teaspoon (1.25 mL) ground cumin
1 tablespoon (15 mL) minced fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) Mexican oregano leaves
Salt, to taste
1. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chiles, onion, and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft, about 7 minutes.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour, uncovered.
3. In a blender, purée the sauce in batches. Return it to the saucepan and cook until it thickens to the desired consistency. Add salt to taste.
Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Yield: About 4 cups (.95 L)
Heat Scale: Medium
The smoked red jalapeño, known as the chipotle chile, has gained such popularity that there are even a couple of cookbooks devoted to it! It works particularly well with barbecuing and grilling, both of which have considerable associations with smoke.
3 dried chipotle chiles
1 cup (236 mL) very hot water
1½ tablespoons (22.5 mL) vegetable oil
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 red bell peppers, quartered, stems and seeds removed
2 onions, peeled and sliced thickly
3 tomatoes, halved
2 cups (473 mL) catsup
¼ cup (59 mL) Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup (59 mL) red wine vinegar
¼ cup (59 mL) brown sugar
1. In a bowl, combine the chipotle chiles with the water and soak for 1 hour or longer to soften. Chop the chipotles finely.
2. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Place the bell peppers, sliced onions, and tomatoes on the grill over a medium fire and grill until they are soft and slightly blackened. Remove and allow to cool. Peel and chop the vegetables.
4. In a large sauce pan over medium heat, combine all the ingredients. Bring the mixture to a low boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 20 minutes. Let the mixture cool and purée in a blender or food processor until smooth. You can thin the mixture with water if you desire.
Louisiana Barbecue Sauce
Yield: 3 cups (708 mL)
Heat Scale: Medium
This is my version of a recipe that originally appeared in Mary Land’s Louisiana Cookery (1954). I have spiced it up a bit—okay, more than a bit—and added a few other spices. This sauce is served with grilled seafood and chicken, but if you wanted to sneak it onto some steamed shrimp or crawdads, I wouldn’t turn you in to the food police. It will keep in the refrigerator for a week and freezes nicely.
¼ cup (59 mL) diced onion
1 tablespoon (15 mL) vegetable oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 (15½-ounce [434 g]) can diced tomatoes, drained
⅓ cup (79 mL) honey
2 tablespoons (30 mL) distilled white vinegar
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons (30 mL) Louisiana-style hot sauce, or more to taste
2 teaspoons (10 mL) dry mustard
½ teaspoon (2.5 mL) dried
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