I prepared this barbecue sauce for a visit with our friends, Astrid and Abi, to enjoy the last days of summer with a barbecue on their patio.  I’m grateful to have had that day spent enjoying good food, good drinks and best of all, good company. Although I can’t say that I grilled as much as I would have liked to this summer, it was nice to celebrate the end of the season over a hot grill of smoky-grey coals along with the comforting and hypnotic sound of sizzling meat – like culinary white noise. And as we usher in the fall, I hope that there are a few warmer, sunny days to squeeze out of the summer season. In any case, should warmer days not be in the forecast, I take pleasure in knowing that waiting in the fridge is still a bit of this sweet, spicy and tangy sauce to extend the season for my taste buds.

Chipotle Balsamic Barbecue Sauce

Makes roughly 4 cups

Ingredients

• 1 large Onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• ¼ cup sunflower or other neutral tasting oil
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• ¾ cup dark soy sauce
• ¾ cup balsamic vinegar
• ¾ cup honey
• ¾ cup coarse-grain dijon mustard
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 2-4 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, finely minced

 

Instructions

1. Place the onions, garlic and oil in a medium saucepan over medium to medium-low heat. Sauté the onion mixture for 15 – 20 minutes or until the onions are very translucent. Careful not to burn the garlic, it will ruin your sauce. Adjust the heat as necessary. Covering the saucepan will help retain moisture and thereby keep the garlic from burning.
2. Then, stir in the chili powder and cumin. Cook for 1 minute to cook out the raw cumin flavor.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and give the pot a good stir. Once a few bubble start to break the surface, reduce the heat to low. Stir occasionally, and simmer uncovered for 30 – 45 minutes. Allow the sauce to cool completely before using it as a marinade. The sauce thickens as it cools.