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You will see adobo sauce in the kitchens of Mexican abuelitas all over Mexico.
The texture is thick like a BBQ sauce. Use it on pork, chicken, or beef. It is extremely versatile, and its flavors will blow your tastebuds away.
Adobo sauce ranges from garlicky to spicy and deep.
This recipe uses a lot of garlic and is not as spicy but extremely flavorful.
What is adobo sauce made of?
In a nutshell, ancho chile, vinegar, garlic, and herbs. Some people will use it to preserve or extend the shelf life of meats and other foods because of the vinegar.
However, you can substitute for 1/2 cup (or 2 oz) ancho chile powder.
Is adobo sauce spicy?
It depends on what ingredients are used. If the recipe calls for lots of chiles and chipotle, then yes, expect a spicy sauce.
Other Recipes Using Ancho Chile: Chile Colorado, Red Pork Tamales, Chueltas Adobadas.
How to remove the seeds from a dried chile:
- Cut off the stem.
- With kitchen scissors, cut lengthwise and open the dried chile.
The seeds and veins will make your adobo sauce extra spicy. Remove as many seeds as you can and any veins that are attached to the chile.
How to tell if a dried chile is old:
A newer dried chile will be shiny and bend easily. If the dried chile is crunchy and has lost its shine, it might not be good to use.
- Add the dried ancho chile to a pot.
- Add water. Enough to cover the chiles. About 2 cups.
- Bring to a boil. Turn off heat.
Do not rinse the chile before adding to the pot. Rinsing them will take away some of the flavor.
If they are dusty, take a damp paper towel and pat them down.
Great Idea!
Save yourself a pot to wash and rehydrate dried chile in cold water. It takes longer. About an hour. No boiling necessary.
To a blender add:
- Rehydrated chile
- Water
- Onion
- Garlic
- Cinnamon Stick, Cumin, Oregano
- Salt
- Apple cider vinegar
Here are some swap options:
- You can use ground cinnamon.
- Whole or ground cumin and oregano work just fine in this recipe.
- Instead of apple cider vinegar, you can use white distilled vinegar.
Blend all the ingredients until smooth.
The color of the sauce should be a deep red. Much deeper in color than a guajillo sauce.
What can I substitute for adobo sauce?
Mix 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon vinegar, ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, pinch of cumin, a pinch of oregano, ½ teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon salt.
- Strain the sauce.
- This will remove any extra chile pieces and leave you with a smoother sauce.
Adjust as you see fit.
Is chipotle sauce the same as adobo?
Adobo Sauce is not Chipotle Salsa. There are different chiles used in each. Chipotle salsa is thinner than adobo.
This is the Mexican version of the sauce. Filipino Adobo is a dish which also involves marinating. It usually made with chicken.
This recipe will produce 2 1/2 cups of sauce. Store them in airtight jars until ready to use. The sauce lasts up to 2 months in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer.
How to Use Adobo Sauce: Add to chicken, pork, beef, shrimp. Let sit for 10 minutes up to overnight. Cook and enjoy.
Adobo Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 ancho chile dried
- 4 cups water (divided)
- 8 garlic cloves
- 1/4 piece cinnamon stick
- pinch cumin either whole or ground
- pinch oregano either whole or ground
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 tspn salt
Instructions
- Cut the stem from the ancho chiles.
- Cut lengthwise and remove the seeds.
- Place the chiles into a stock pot with 2 cups water.
- Bring to a boil. Turn off heat.
- Let sit for 5 minutes, or until pliable.
- Discard the water used in the rehydration process.
- To a blender, add the rehydrated chiles, 2 cups water, and all of the remaining ingredients.
- Blend until smooth.
- Strain.
- Store in an airtight container until ready to use.
Notes
- You can use ground cinnamon.
- Whole or ground cumin and oregano work just fine in this Adobo Sauce recipe.
- Instead of apple cider vinegar, you can use white distilled vinegar.
Mix 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 tablespoon vinegar, ½ teaspoon chipotle powder, pinch of cumin, a pinch of oregano, ½ teaspoon garlic, ½ teaspoon salt.
This was such a great way to learn about Adobo sauce and chiles that are used in it. I might not make this but I have the basics to do it if I try.
Hope you try this recipe!
I bet I’d love this sauce. I tend to love spicy things. I will have to try this out the next time I make tacos.
You would love it! It’s amazing.
I’ve never had adobo sauce before. I think I’ll like it though. Going to save your recipe so that my family can give this a little taste test soon!
So good right? We love this one too
I’ve never heard of this kind of sauce before. Sounds like something I may be interested in trying though. I’ll have to make these and see how it tastes.
Hope you try it Kathy!
I have never tried it but the ingredients make it looks amazing! I have to try this out for sure.
It’s delicious. Hope you try it!
This seems like the perfect recipe for me! We’ve been using canned adobo peppers, but I think I would like this even better, especially with the garlic.
This recipe is amazing. Hope you try it!
I love a good ancho chile. My grandmother has bushes that line the side of her house full of the peppers. I need to visit her and try this adobo myself.
Yes. It’s a very versatile recipe too. Hope you enjoy!
I would really like to try this sauce. It looks really easy to make and would work with a lot of recipes!
Yes, it does. Fish, chicken, beef, pork. You name it!
A good sauce can make such a difference in the way something tastes. This sauce looks amazing, and I would love to try it on ribs.
I like your idea! Hope you try it!
Maggie,
This sauce is great. I used to buy it remade.
I was wondering if you had a recipe for el pato sauce?
You know, I don’t have a recipe for el pato sauce. I’ve tried many, many times, but I can’t get the right mixture. I’ll keep trying though.