Adobo Marinade

A versatile and bold sauce/marinade/seasoning made primarily from chiles. Try this recipe made with dried chiles or our quicker version below.

RECIPE:

Quick Red Chile Adobo
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

A scant 1/2 cup good-quality ancho chile powder (the amount you'll get from a typical 2-ounce spice jar)
8 garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, preferably Mexican canela
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

Scoop the chile powder into a blender or small food processor. In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/4 cups water to a boil. Pour the hot water over the chile powder, loosely cover the blender or secure teh top of the processor and pulse to create a smooth slurry. Let cool. Collect the garlic in a microwavable bowl, cover with water and microwave at 100% for 1 minute. Drain and add to the blender or food processor along with the spices, vinegar, and salt. Process to a smooth puree. If necessary, stir in some water, a splash at a time, until the adobo is the consistency of barbecue sauce.

STORE:
Transfer the adobo to a pint jar and store, covered, in the refrigerator, where it will last for a couple of months.