This smoky chipotle BBQ sauce is a must-have for grilling season. With just 15 minutes and a handful of ingredients, you can whip up a sauce that’s both sweet and smoky, thanks to maple syrup, molasses, chipotle peppers, and adobo sauce. Perfect for chicken, pork, salmon, or shrimp, it adds a delicious yet subtle kick to any dish. Easy to make and versatile, enjoy this as a staple for backyard barbecues or weeknight dinners alike.
Smoky. A bit sweet. Very slightly spicy.
That’s how I’d describe this chipotle bbq sauce.
I can’t handle spicy foods. I typically order my Thai food with zero stars. But even I can handle the spiciness of this sauce.
It’s really more smoky than spicy, and unless you’re eating it by the spoonful you’re not getting a lot of it at once which really softens the spice.
Made with maple syrup and chipotle peppers canned in adobo sauce, this chipotle maple bbq sauce is great grilled chicken and pulled pork but really works wherever you’d typically use a bbq sauce.
And it comes together quickly, making it perfect when you need a little extra zip for a weeknight dinner.
So scroll down to see the step by step pictures and instructions, as well as helpful tips, to get the most out of this maple chipotle barbecue sauce.
Grab these ingredients!
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.)
- Chipotle peppers: get canned ones that are already in adobo sauce as the sauce also gets used in the recipe.
- Tomato paste: any plain tomato paste will work, whether it’s in a can or a tube. Make sure it’s unsalted.
- Maple syrup: use 100% maple syrup and not pancake syrup, which is different. I typically use the maple syrup from Costco, but other brands work just as well.
- Distilled white vinegar: you can substitute apple cider vinegar if you don’t have plain vinegar.
- Molasses: different brands of molasses will have different amounts of sugar. I used Wholesome organic molasses, which has 10 grams of sugar naturally in it (not added). Most other jars of molasses I saw had 14 grams of sugar, so if you have one with more sugar you may want to add slightly less in the recipe.
- Spices: the homemade seasoning blend I use consists of smoked paprika, garlic powder, ground black pepper, and Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
How to make chipotle barbecue sauce
(Note: please see the recipe card at the end of this post for the complete written instructions.)
What to use chipotle bbq sauce on
Of course there are lots of ways to use bbq sauce, though in general I would recommend it with proteins like chicken, pork, turkey, and seafood like salmon and shrimp. But you can use it for anything you’d like! Here are some recipe ideas:
- on bbq turkey meatballs;
- as a marinade or glaze for basic grilled chicken thighs;
- over pork ribs or pulled pork sandwiches; or
- to dip grilled potato slices or grilled potato wedges in.
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15-Minute Smoky Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Equipment
- A small saucepan
- A small spatula
Ingredients
- 6 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- ½ c maple syrup
- 2 chipotle peppers canned, in adobo sauce
- 1 tsp adobo sauce from the canned peppers
- 2 tsp molasses
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp kosher salt Diamond Crystal
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ tsp garlic powder
Instructions
- Place a small saucepan over low heat on a stovetop burner. Use measuring cups and spoons to add everything to the pan, letting them warm up as you add them. Use a whisk to combine everything together, gently mashing up the chipotle peppers as best you can. Adjust the heat to medium and cook the mixture for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- After 5 minutes, use a small spatula to empty the sauce into a blender, turning the heat of the stove top off and removing the pan from the burner. Put the lid on the blender and either pulse or blend until the peppers are thoroughly mixed and you have a smooth consistency (roughly 1 minute). You can also use an immersion blender directly in the saucepan instead of a blender if you have one.
- Use the spatula again to pour the mixture back into the saucepan and cook over low heat for 4 minutes to ensure the flavors have melded.
- Remove from the heat and either use right away or let cool then place in a glass jar or other container. If not using right away, make sure the sauce cools completely before placing a lid on it and storing in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Lisa Tapper
Can leftover bbque sauce be frozen ?
Taryn Solie
Hi Lisa! I haven’t tried it, but my hunch is it can as long as you get the air out of the container you’re storing it in, and that container is then sealed air-tight. I did a little digging and saw a friend of mine actually has a good resource on storing BBQ sauces so I’m linking it below. Hope that helps!
https://pipandebby.com/pip-ebby/how-long-does-homemade-bbq-sauce-last/