Homemade Chipotle Chillies in Adobo
Smoked chipotle chillies in homemade adobo sauce with tomato, spices and vinegar, an essential base of Mexican cooking.
About this recipe
Homemade chipotle chillies in adobo are a fundamental condiment in Mexican cuisine. Dried and smoked jalapeno chillies are simmered in a thick sauce of tomato, onion, garlic, spices and a touch of vinegar and piloncillo until an intensely flavourful, smoky and moderately spicy preparation is achieved. This homemade version far surpasses shop-bought varieties in depth of flavour. They are used to marinate meats, prepare salsas, enrich stews or simply as an accompaniment for tacos and tortas.
History & Origin
The chipotle is a ripe jalapeno chilli that has been dried and smoked, a preservation technique that Mesoamerican peoples developed thousands of years ago. The word chipotle comes from the Nahuatl chilpoctli: chil (chilli) and poctli (smoke). The Aztecs smoked chillies over mesquite wood for entire days to preserve them and concentrate their flavour. Adobo, on the other hand, is a Spanish heritage that originally referred to a vinegar and spice marinade for preserving meat. The fusion of both traditions created chipotles en adobo, a mestizo condiment combining pre-Hispanic smoking with European spices and techniques. Although today they are sold tinned worldwide, the homemade version allows control over the heat level and intensity of the adobo. Chihuahua and Veracruz produce the finest artisanal chipotles, smoked with selected woods that impart unique nuances. Contemporary chefs consider chipotle in adobo one of the most versatile ingredients in the Mexican larder.
Estimated cost
£9.12
Total cost
£1.14
Per serving
* Approximate prices based on UK supermarkets
Nutritional information per serving
65
Calories
1.5g
Protein
13g
Carbohydrates
1g
Fat
2g
Fibre
380mg
Sodium
* Approximate values. May vary depending on ingredients used.
Method
- 1
Soak the chipotle chillies dried in hot water for 20 minutes until it hidraten and ablanden.
💡 If you want less picante, remove the seeds and venas of the chillies before of remojar.
- 2
Roast the tomatoes, quartered onion and garlic in a dry frying pan or on a comal (flat griddle) over high heat, turning them, until they have black spots on all sides.
- 3
Blend the roasted tomatoes, onion and garlic with a little of the chilli soaking water until you have a smooth sauce.
- 4
Strain the sauce in a medium pot and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring frecuentemente.
💡 Straining the sauce gives the adobo a finer, more professional texture.
- 5
Anade the chipotle chillies drained, the vinegar, the piloncillo (raw cane sugar) grated, the oregano, the cumin, the pepper and the salt. Mix well.
- 6
Cook over low heat for 30-35 minutes, restirring occasionally, until the sauce espese and the flavours integren.
💡 La sauce should reducir until tener a consistency thick that covers the back of a spoon.
- 7
Leave to cool completely and guarda in frascos of cristal esterilizados. Refrigerate until 3 months.
💡 Cover the chillies with a layer of oil before of cerrar the frasco for mejor conservacion.
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Founder, Recetas Mexas
Mexican from Puebla, IT professional and foodie. Author of 1000+ authentic Mexican recipes adapted for home kitchens worldwide. Based in Madrid since 2018.
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