Basic Adobo Sauce Recipes

ADOBO SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Remove the stems from the guajillo and ancho peppers and remove the seeds. You may need to cut into the peppers for this, which is fine.
• Heat a large pan to medium-high heat and dry toast the dried peppers a couple minutes per side. They will become more pliable and slightly puff up. This helps to release the oils for more flavor.
• Place the dried pods in a large bowl and cover with hot water. Soak them for 15 minutes, or until they become very soft and rehydrate. Transfer the softened peppers to a food processor, but reserve the soaking liquid.
• While the peppers are softening, heat olive oil in a medium pan and add the onion. Cook it down for 4-5 minutes to soften.
• Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds to 1 minute, until you it becomes fragrant.
• Add the tomato paste, cinnamon, cumin, oregano, sugar and salt. Cook for 1 minute, stirring.
• Stir in 1/2 cup water. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Add the mixture to the food processor along with the softened peppers and 1/4 to 1/2 cup of fresh water, or you can use the dark liquid from soaking the peppers. Process until smooth.
• Adjust with salt and sugar to taste, and with a bit more water until you achieve your desired consistency. Strain if you'd like a thinner sauce, or use as-is.

EASY ADOBO SAUCE

Steps:

• Wipe off any dusty crevasses on the chilis using a damp towel. De-stem and de-seed the chilis, but don't worry about getting rid of every last seed.
• I put the chilis in a 400F oven for 1-2 minutes to awaken some dormant flavors; you could also flash them on a hot, dry skillet for 15-30 seconds in place of the oven.
• Add the chilis to a bowl and cover them with hot tap water. Let them reconstitute for 20-30 minutes. If they float to the surface you can use a small plate or bowl to keep them submerged.
• Drain the chilis and add them to a blender, along with the remaining ingredients listed above. Update: I've been adding 2-3 chipotles in adobo lately for some heat, but you can consider this optional.
• Combine well; ideally you want a thick, paste-like substance so we are adding just enough liquid to get there. If it won't combine you can add another splash of water.
• Use immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge. It should also freeze quite well.

EASY ADOBO SAUCE

Steps:

• Add chili powder to the bowl of a blender or food processor. Bring water to a boil and pour over the chili powder. Stir and replace cover. Let steep while you gather the other ingredients.
• To the chili powder mixture, add tomatoes with juices, vinegar, brown sugar, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, salt, cinnamon, black and cloves. Blend or pulse until smooth and the consistency of ketchup. Add water by the teaspoon and pulse if mixture is too thick.
• Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat.. Carefully add adobo mixture. Bring to a low boil then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15 - 20 minutes until thickened. Allow to cool then transfer to an airtight container. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

FAMOUS CHICKEN ADOBO

Steps:

• Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chicken pieces until golden brown on both sides, then remove. Stir in the onion and garlic; cook until they soften and brown, about 6 minutes.
• Pour in vinegar and soy sauce, and season with garlic powder, black pepper, and bay leaf. Add the browned chicken, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked through, 35 to 40 minutes.

BASIC ADOBO SAUCE

Steps:

• 1. Heat a comal, griddle, or heavy skillet over medium-low heat, and toast the chiles 2 or 3 at a time, turning them over and pressing down on them with tongs frequently, until they're fragrant and their insides have changed color slightly, about 1 minute per batch.
• 2. Soak the chiles in enough cold water to cover until they're soft, about 30 minutes. Drain and discard the soaking water.
• 3. Put the 3/4 cup of fresh water in the blender jar with the chiles and the remaining ingredients. Blend until smooth, at least 3 minutes, adding a little more water if necessary to puree. If you'd like a silky texture, strain the adobo through a medium-mesh sieve.
• 4. Now you can use this highly flavored puree as a marinade for seafood and meat. Or turn it into a fabulous cooking liquid or sauce for eggs, beans, and enchiladas. This adobo keeps in the refrigerator for up to five days or in the freezer for up to one month.

HOMEMADE ADOBO SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium heat and toast the chiles, turning frequently, until very pliable and soft; do not allow to char. Remove from the skillet and transfer to a plate. Remove the stems and seeds and place in a saucepan. Add enough hot water to just cover and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, remove from the heat and allow chiles to soak until very soft and plumped, about 20 minutes. Strain in a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and reserve soaking liquid separately.
• In a blender, combine the chiles, the onion, garlic, salt, sugar, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, cumin, allspice, cloves, and vinegar and puree until smooth, adding a little of the chile soaking liquid (only as much as is needed) to enable the mixture to blend. The consistency should be thick but smooth. Cover and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.