Simple Cooking: Spicy Barbecue Sauce

By Carrie Becker in Food on Jul 16, 2010 3:20PM

Fourth of July came and went but we are still furiously working to perfect our grilling recipes. A few weekends ago, we brushed up on our “yet to be perfected and yet to be named” spicy barbecue sauce to top some baby back ribs. Check out our recipe below and let us know if you have a favorite barbecue sauce (store bought suggestions are always welcome).

Spicy Barbecue Sauce

2 medium white onions, diced
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons bacon fat
2 chipotle peppers from canned chipotles in adobo sauce, diced
½ tablespoon adobo sauce
¾ cup bourbon (we used Ancient Ancient Age)
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1 ½ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worchestershire
½ cup Dijon mustard
¾ cup brown sugar
½ cup honey
1 tablespoon Ancho Chili powder
2 tablespoon Ginger
2 tablespoon Cumin
1 tablespoon Cocoa Chili powder
salt
pepper

Sauté diced onions and minced garlic in bacon fat on medium to medium high heat until onions are translucent. Stir in chipotles and adobo sauce and mix together well. Let sauté for a couple minutes. Add bourbon and vinegar then remaining ingredients. Mix well and continue to stir on medium heat for the next twenty minutes. Remove from heat then use a hand blender or full blender to further breakdown the sauce. Over a bowl pour sauce gradually into a mesh strainer. Using a wooden spoon press the sauce through the strainer until you are left with a smooth, blended sauce in the bowl (you will be left with a paste-like consistency in the mesh strainer, discard).