If chipotles are the solution to life's problems then consider keeping some of this Chipotle Hot Sauce in the fridge.
It's got that addictive smoky flavor bursting out of the bottle and you'll only need a few drops at a time to liven up your latest meal.
There are seven chipotles in a single bottle of this hot sauce (yes, seven!) so please keep in mind that it is ultra fiery -- if you want a milder batch you can dial back on the chipotles.
How To Make Chipotle Hot Sauce
Sure, you could start with some dried Morita chiles, but canned chipotles in adobo are much more convenient (and common) so we'll be using those.
If you're new to chipotles in adobo here's what they look like out of the can:
These are smoked jalapenos resting in a tangy adobo sauce and you'll get 6-8 chipotles in each can. Are chipotles spicy?
Occasionally you'll come across larger sizes, but these smaller 7 oz. cans are the most common in traditional supermarkets so I usually buy a few at a time.
I'm in the habit of scraping out most of the seeds as they tend to harden over time.
So we'll do that with seven of these chipotles (seven!) and add them to a blender along with:
1/4 small onion
1 garlic clove
1/3 cup white vinegar
1/3 cup water
juice of 1/2 orange
3/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/4 teaspoon cumin
pinch of salt
I usually saute the onion and garlic in some oil before adding it to the blender. And note that this was a larger onion so I only used about 2/3 of the onion in the photo below:
Once everything is in the blender (or food processor) give it a good whirl.
It'll need at least 30 seconds to liquefy everything so if it still seems chunky then give it a bit more time.
Once it's combined you'll have the perfect opportunity to take a taste for sweetness. And heat!
You're already getting some sweetness from the orange and the cooked onion, but you can always add a bit more if you want -- 1/4 teaspoon of sugar would be a good starting point. I don't have much of a sweet tooth so I did not add any additional sugar to this batch.
You can also taste test for heat. If you started with less chipotles for a milder batch then simply add 1-2 more chipotles if you want more heat.
If all went according to plan you should have a single cup of chipotle fireball hot sauce. Nice! It's got a big, bold flavor and it will fit perfectly into a standard sized 5 oz. hot sauce bottle.
You can reuse older bottles or you can get new ones for about a buck each at Amazon.
It also has a slighter thicker consistency than traditional hot sauces and this will help it cling to food more readily.
You can use this Chipotle Hot Sauce anywhere you would use your favorite hot sauce: tacos, eggs, and definitely potatoes!
Store it in the fridge where it will keep for about a month. (Note: instructions below are not meant for long term canning or preserving.)
Okay, start saving those old hot sauce bottles as it will remind you to make your own! This Chipotle Hot Sauce is a real treat and it's my default option lately, but we also have recipes for Habanero Hot Sauce and Jalapeno Hot Sauce if you want to do some experimenting.
Buen Provecho.
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Chipotle Hot Sauce
Ingredients
- 7-8 chipotles in adobo
- 1/4 small onion
- 1 garlic clove
- juice of 1/2 orange
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- pinch of salt
- 3/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- olive oil
Instructions
- Peel and roughly chop 1/4 small onion. Saute the onion in some oil along with a peeled, roughly chopped garlic clove. Giving it 5-7 minutes over medium heat will sweeten up the onion and bring out some additional flavors.
- De-stem and de-seed 7-8 chipotles in adobo. I usually cut off the stems and then make a slit lengthwise on the chipotles, then peeling them open and discarding the inner veins and seeds. It's not crucial to get rid of all the seeds but I usually discard most of them.
- Add the chipotles to a blender or food processor along with the onion-garlic mixture and 1/3 cup white vinegar, 1/3 cup water, the juice of 1/2 orange, a pinch of salt, 1/4 teaspoon cumin, and 3/4 teaspoon Mexican oregano. Blend until completely liquefied.
- Take a taste for sweetness. You can optionally add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar at this point (or more) but I did not add any additional sweetness to this batch. If you started with less chipotles you can always add more at this point if you want additional heat.
- Pour hot sauce into a 5 oz. bottle (I find it easiest to use a small funnel). Store in the fridge where it will keep for about a month.
Notes
Got fresh tomatillos in the house? Our latest post shows all the recipes you can make with tomatillos.
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glen spencer
Hello, Patrick. I'm wondering I use lime and cilantro when I make my homemade salsa. And I attempted to use the Chipotle's in the Adobo sauce with the water and vinegar. I did straighten it it was watery. But this morning it's about as thick as it can get. And I'm wondering about is it a good thing to use vinegar and lime juice because they're both an acid. Also 2/3 of an onion. Is that a half of onion + 1/4? Anyway, thank you. I'll be back. You take care brother
Patrick
Hey Glen! Yeah Salsas will sometimes thicken up when they sit in the fridge overnight -- you can always add a splash of water to thin them out if you want. True, lime juice is an acid as well but it's got that burst of citrus so that's probably why I used both. And regarding 2/3 of an onion you can just use a bit over half an onion and it will turn out well. Cheers.
glen
Hello Pat . can i use dried chipotles for this ? T U
Patrick
Hey Glen! Yeah you could use dried chipotles and probably still get a good result, but you might have to adjust the seasoning a bit to your liking -- the chipoles in adobo will take on some of the flavor from the adobo sauce so they are slightly different than dried chipotles. Cheers.
Carol
This is most definitely a keeper. Tried numerous hot sauces but this is the one to keep and throw out the other recipes, loved this and make big batches as this keep for moths in the fridge.
Thank you for another one of your great recipes.
Patrick
Thanks much Carol, I'm so glad you found this recipe! Cheers.
chris
Thanks for sharing! I was wondering if this needs to be refrigerated immediately after making? I am looking to make sauce and bottle them and give them out as gifts for the holidays. Thanks in advance
Patrick
Hey Chris! Can you refrigerate it until you hand it off to peeps? That's probably what I would do as this recipe isn't really designed for long term preserving. Cheers.
Etta Milhoan
I am so happy to find your site. We love Mexican food and I want to keep it authentic. Will be making this sauce this week.
Patrick
Thanks Etta, I hope the hot sauce treats you well!
George A Mueller
So the adobo sauce is tossed?
Patrick
Hey George if there is lots of adobo sauce I would prob keep it -- I usually dump a couple cans into a tupperware container and store it in the fridge where you can easily grab a chipotle or some of the sauce.
George A Mueller
Thanks! I find the adobo sauce as flavorful as the chiles themselves. I'll make this recipe with the adobo sauce only and report back.
Thanks for all the great recipes.
George
Jim Newton
Another great recipe, I'll be making this too. Good site too. Thanks.
Patrick
Thanks Jim!
Geraldine Toltschin
The truth comes out, I have a case of Chipolte in my bodega....LOVE them/
I will be making this sauce tomorrow, THANKS.
Patrick
Ahh awesome Geraldine, glad you have easy access to chipotles over there.
Esther
Hey Patrick! Can't wait to try this recipe.
Question: Does this freeze well? I'd like to make the hot sauce before my stepkids come to visit.
Thanks in advance.
Patrick
Hmmm sorry I can't give a better answer Esther but I haven't tried freezing this yet. But with the vinegar it will keep for weeks at a time in the fridge if that helps. Cheers.
Carol
Soooo looking forward to trying this recipe - after we finish the 5 hot sauces already open in this kitchen!! thanks for sharing
Patrick
Thanks Carol! Given the upgrade in flavor you'll get, I think you are justified in sacrificing the eldest and using the leftover bottle 🙂