Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce from Scratch

In my pre-paleo life, I used to love chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. Just one of these little guys adds the perfect, smokey heat to a tropical salsa. I haven’t been able to enjoy them lately, since the ingredients list usually reads something like this…

Chipotle Peppers, Water Tomato Puree, Vegetable Oil (Corn or Safflower), Wheat Flour, Salt, Vinegar, Starch, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Caramel Color and Spices.

Like I always say, when in doubt, make it yourself! Okay, I don’t always say that, but I am going to start!

Did you know that a chipotle pepper is a smoked and dried jalapeno?

I used 10 chipotle peppers and it made a very spicy sauce! If you want to tone it down, you can try using 7 or 8. This sauce is legit! It tastes very similar to the canned variety.

I used beef broth for this because broth makes everything better! Plus, when my insides are on fire from the spiciness of this sauce, I can tell myself it’s okay cause the broth will sooth it! 🙂 … But, if you don’t have broth on hand, water will work fine too!

Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
[Printable Version]

Ingredients
7-10 chipotle peppers, stems removed and split lengthwise
*1 cup organic strained tomatoes in a jar (I used these)
1 cup beef broth (sub filtered water) (Don’t want to make your own? Buy pasture-raised broth HERE.)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon allspice
pinch of cloves

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a pan and simmer, covered on low for 30 minutes.
2. Remove the lid and simmer on low for an additional 30 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
3. Once the sauce has thickened, allow the peppers to cool and then store for later use.
4. The sauce should keep in the fridge for about a week. Or you can freeze it for later use.

*Fresh tomatoes peeled, chopped and seeds removed should work too.

A friend donated old baby food jars to me, and I have been using them for all kinds of things. I used them to freeze the chipotle peppers in small batches. I used 2 peppers per a jar. This way I can pull them out of the freezer and use them as needed.