Ancho Chile Barbecue Sauce

Ancho (Ahn-cho) Chile (Capsicum Annum) means Wide Chile Pepper. This chile ranges from 3 – 4 on a heat scale of 1 to 10. An Ancho is the dried form of a Poblano Pepper and often is mislabeled as a Pasilla or Mulato Pepper. Anchos have sweet fruity flavor with hints of cherry, prune, and fig. Anchos, combined with the Pasilla and Guajillo, form the Holy Trinity of chiles used to prepare the traditional mole sauces. Scoville heat units are 1,000 to 3,000.

Suggested Use:
Anchos are great in salsa, soups, enchilada and any sauce needing mild heat and chile flavor. Chopped, pureed or ground, they can be added directly to your recipes.

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Ingredients:

3 dried ancho chiles
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups diced onion
7 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup ketchup
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Instructions:

Adapted from a recipe in Saveur

Soak the anchos in very hot water for 15 minutes or until soft. Remove stems. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat, and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 3 minutes, add the ketchup and anchos, and sauté for 4 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer gently for 40 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a blender or food processor and purée, thinning with water as desired. Serve immediately.

From fromaway.com