It’s smoky! Rich, flavorful, smoky barbecue sauce. Perfect for burgers, ribs or brisket.
This smoky barbecue sauce from Hank Shaw is one of the best BBQ sauces I’ve ever tried. Smoky, spicy and rich in flavor. Seriously good. ~ Elise
Yes, I’m back with another BBQ creation. This time it’s a dark, rich sauce with a smoky flavor.
The two main ingredients in this sauce are chipotle in adobo and liquid smoke. Liquid smoke, which is essentially distilled smoke made from the moisture added when hickory is burned — and that’s the hickory smoke I’m using here — is available at most supermarkets.
Chipotle in Adobo are easy to find in Latin American markets, but if you can’t find them, use Chipotle powder instead. And if you can’t find chipotle powder, try Spanish smoked paprika. If all else fails, use chili powder.
This sauce needs to be slow cooked for at least 45 minutes, better 1 hour.
Use it on grilled brisket, beef ribs, or on top of a burger.
Smokey Barbecue Sauce
When handling the hot chillies in Adobo, use gloves or a plastic bag to protect your hands. After handling chilies, wash your hands thoroughly in hot, soapy water. Do not touch your eyes for several hours.
ingredients
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4 tablespoons butter (can substitute vegetable oil)
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1/2 grated onion
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1 15-ounce can crushed tomatoes
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1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
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2 tbsp brown sugar
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1/4 cup molasses
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1-4 chipotle chiles in adobo (depending on how hot you want the BBQ sauce)
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1 teaspoon liquid smoke
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1 tbsp finely chopped fresh sage
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Salt to taste
method
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Sweat the grated onion in butter:
Heat the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat until foamy (or heat vegetable oil until hot), then add the grated onion. Sprinkle some salt over the onion. Saute for about 4-5 minutes until the onion just starts to colour.
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Hack the Chipotle Chile:
While the onions are cooking, finely chop the chipotle chiles in adobo. They’re hot, so start with a chili. You can add as many more as you like later.
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Add Chipotle and remaining ingredients to the onions:
Add the chipotle with the onions, then add the tomatoes, vinegar, molasses, sugar, liquid smoke, and chopped sage. Stir to combine and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste it and add salt and more chipotle if you like.
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Simmer for 1 hour:
Let the sauce simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Taste again for salt and chili before serving.
