Ancho Chile Barbecue Sauce

Some barbecue masters believe in order to be legitimate in the world of barbecue you must make your own sauce. I’m sure that’s up for debate but it’s hard to beat the flavor of a homemade sauce!

This barbecue sauce, with its Texas roots, starts with sautéed sweet onion and fresh garlic delivering a savory yet sweet note. Then it’s packed with spice and a subtle smoky heat thanks to a delightful ancho chile powder.

There are rows and rows of bottled barbecue sauce in the markets – some are wonderful and many not so much. Making a fresh batch of barbecue sauce is not all that complicated and the results are worth every minute spent.

Like many barbecue sauces this delectable condiment starts with a tomato base that comes from ketchup. Sauté the onions and chopped garlic in rich olive oil to deepen their flavor then add some bite and tang with a splash of Worcestershire and red wine vinegar. Add a bit more sweet with dark brown sugar and spice it up with dry mustard, paprika, and that wonderful ancho chile powder.

But instead of using chili powder this sauce uses ancho chile powder. So what’s the difference between chili powder and chile powder? Chili powder is a blend of spices and seasoning that often includes oregano, cumin, and garlic along with dried chile powder. Chile powder is purely dried chiles and can be made from a number of dried peppers such as chipotle (dried jalapeño peppers) or ancho (dried poblano peppers).

Ancho chiles are mild, bringing just enough heat without overwhelming a dish. And though you can buy ancho chile powder making your own adds a fresh touch and is quite easy. A quick toasting of the dried peppers intensifies their earthiness before they’re ground into a dark russet dust. Perfect for this sauce, fresh ancho chile powder is also wonderful in beef chili, Mexican hot chocolate and even adds a delightful touch in a chocolate cake!

Whether you smear it over ribs on the grill or use it to top a succulent pulled pork slider, this sauce delivers!

Ancho Chile Barbecue Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1-¼ cups chopped sweet onion, about 1 medium onion

1 teaspoon chopped garlic, about 2 cloves

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

1 teaspoon paprika

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1-½ teaspoons ancho chile powder

1-½ cups ketchup

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup water

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until tender and translucent, about 10 minutes. Toss in the chopped garlic and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Add the brown sugar, paprika, dry mustard, and ancho chile powder. Stir in the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, wine vinegar, and water.

Reduce the heat to low and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Makes about 2-½ cups of barbecue sauce.

For the ancho chile powder:

1-½ ounce package dried chile ancho peppers

Remove the stems then break the dried chiles open and remove most of the seeds.

Warm the ancho chile pieces in a skillet over medium-low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes until fragrant, tossing occasionally to prevent them from burning.

Place the ancho chile pieces in the bowl of a food processor and process into a powder, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Makes about 4-½ tablespoons ancho chile powder.