Southwestern Barbecue Sauce

Makes 3 cups


Active time: 15 minutes


Start to finish: 30 minutes

VARIATIONS

Substitute fresh jalapeño or serrano chiles for chipotle chiles.

This sauce gets some heat from chipotle chiles and some tang from lime juice. It’s perfect with any Southwestern- or Mexican-inspired sausages like Fresh Mexican Chorizo.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drained and finely chopped

2 cups crushed tomatoes in tomato puree

1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

2 teaspoons dry mustard powder

Salt and hot red pepper sauce to taste

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and chiles and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until onion softens. Stir in tomatoes, sugar, vinegar, lime juice, and mustard, and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently.

2. Reduce the heat to low and simmer sauce, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Keep warm.

Note: The sauce can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks or frozen up to 3 months.