A tomato-less barbecue sauce? You’ll be a believer once you try it. No, let me rephrase- once you try it, you’ll eat it by the spoonful! The smoky chipotles, sweet maple, and tangy cider vinegar come together with the roasted bell peppers to create a smooth, luscious sauce you’ll want to slather on everything. A little cornbread and potato salad on the side, and you’ve got yourself a party. Compliment it with a fruity red wine. Done and done.
Puree your ingredients until very smooth.
Cook the sauce to thicken and concentrate the flavors.
The sauce will turn a dark brick red when finished.
Chipotle Maple Barbecue Sauce
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 Red Bell Peppers
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 chipotle chilis canned in adobo sauce seeded
- 2 teaspoons sauce from chipotle can
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar
Instructions
- Roast bell peppers. Cut peppers into sections along the ribs, removing the stem and seeds. Place on a foil lined baking sheet and broil until charred and blackened. Wrap in the foil and let them steam for about 10-15 minutes.
- Peel peppers and place in a blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend until very well pureed.
- Scrape puree into a saucepan and cook over low heat 20-30 minutes until thick an darkened in color. Partially cover the pot with a lid during cooking as it will splatter. Sauce will keep in the refrigerator for 3 days.
Tips & Tricks
I like to use this on grilled, bone-in chicken. For this, salt and pepper skinless breasts or legs/thighs, and place over high heat on your grill, turning after a few minutes, then reduce the heat and close the grill. After about 15 minutes begin basting with the sauce, turning to get both sides, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve with the extra sauce.