Best Ancho Red Pepper Sauce Recipes

ANCHO CHILI SAUCE - RECIPE

Steps:

• Dry roast the ancho peppers on a hot pan about 1-2 minutes per side. The peppers will puff slightly and the skins will begin to turn red.
• Set them into a large pot of boiling water and remove from heat. Let them soak covered in water for 30 minutes.
• Remove the stems and coarsely chop the anchos. Reserve the soaking liquid.
• Set the chopped anchos into a food processor.
• Heat the oil in a pan to medium heat and add the onion. Cook about 5 minutes to soften.
• Add the garlic and tomato and cook another minute or so, until you can smell the garlic. Add them to the food processor.
• Add the vinegar, cumin, oregano and a bit of salt and pepper along with about 1 cup of the soaking liquid. Process until it smooths out.
• The sauce will be thick at this point. You can add more soaking liquid to achieve your desired consistency.
• Give it a taste. You can adjust with salt and pepper and this point, and if you feel it needs a touch of sweetness, add the honey and process a bit more.
• Press the sauce through a coarse strainer into a bowl. I use a wooden spoon to push it through.
• Store in the fridge in an airtight container.
• As a tasty variation, add up to 15 ounces (1 can) of tomato sauce while cooking, or after you strain the ancho chili sauce to simmer. It makes for an outstanding final sauce. Or, swirl in anywhere from 1 tablespoon to a cup of the ancho chili sauce to tomato sauce to liven up any dish.

ANCHO-RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Put the ancho pods in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes, then remove the stems and seeds and coarsely chop. Reserve the soaking liquid.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, peppers and ancho chiles and cook until the tomatoes soften and break down and the liquid thickens, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Let cool for about and carefully transfer the mixture to a food processor and process until smooth. Add the vinegar, honey, salt, pepper, to taste, and cilantro and pulse a few times just to combine. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate until ready to use.

ANCHO CHILE SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Hydrate dried peppers. Place the dried chiles in a medium-sized sauce pot and add just enough water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, and then cover the pot and and turn off the heat. Let the chiles hydrate in the hot water until they're soft, at least 20 minutes.
• Prep peppers. Remove the chiles from the pot. Use your hands or a paring knife to gently remove the stems and seeds. Add the hydrated chiles to the blender. (If you're very sensitive to the heat, I suggest wearing cooking gloves.) Remove 1 cup of the hydrating liquid from the pot and pour it in the blender. (Do not throw out remaining liquid as you can use it as a stock in other recipes.)
• Add remaining ingredients to blender and blend. Add the stock, sugar, garlic, spices, salt and pepper to the blender. Purée in the blender until the mixture is as smooth as possible. Season to taste with salt and sugar if necessary. (Here's how.)
• Use or store. Stir in the oil and it's ready to use. Or, pour the sauce into a storage container with a tight sealing lid, and place in the refrigerator, where it should keep for at least 3 weeks.

THE BEST RED ENCHILADA SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Arrange the ancho chiles on a baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven 3 to 4 minutes; remove the stems, pulp, and seeds from the toasted peppers. Place peppers in a bowl and pour enough hot water into bowl to cover completely; allow to soak for 1 hour.
• Combine the ancho chiles, tomato paste, corn oil, garlic, salt, oregano, cumin, and about 1 cup of the beef broth in a blender; blend until smooth. Pour the mixture into a saucepan with the remaining beef broth and place over medium heat; simmer until heated through, about 10 minutes.