Chipotles in adobo sauce are a classic canned good that’s surprisingly easy to make at home. If you can’t find cans of chipotle peppers at your local grocery store, then learn how to make your own home-canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce.
Chipotle peppers are just jalapeno peppers that have ripened all the way to red and then are dried and smoked to bring out a rich, smokey, spicy, and sweet flavor.
They’re almost always rehydrated in Adobo sauce, so they can be incorporated into recipes.
But did you know you can make your own chipotles in adobo? All you need are dried chipotle peppers, which you can grow and dry at home, or purchase inexpensively online.
Reprinted with permission from Not Your Mama’s Canning Book by Rebecca Lindamood. Page Street Publishing Co. 2016. Photo credit: Rebecca Lindamood.
The first time I asked our little, rural grocery store where they kept the chipotles in adobo, they answered with a, “keep the WHAT?” I knew then that I was going to have to learn to make my own if I wanted to keep one of my favorite ingredients handy. Dried smoked jalapeno peppers are rehydrated and simmered in a tangy, spiced tomato sauce. Just crush one of the peppers into some of the sauce with a fork and mix right into sauces for instant Tex-Mex or Mexican flair.
This particular recipe has enough added vinegar to allow it to be canned in a water bath canner, similar to homemade salsa.
Ingredients for Chipotles in Adobo
To make 5 half-pint (8 oz) jars, you will need the following:
- 3 ounces (84 g) dried chipotle peppers
- 1 dried ancho chile
- 3 cups (700 ml) boiling water
- 4 cups (900 g) tomato purée
- 1 cup (240 ml) cider vinegar
- 1 cup (201 g) diced onion
- ¾ cup (108 g) raw or brown sugar
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed in a garlic press
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
While you can reduce the total amount of spices in this recipe, do not lower the vinegar or tomato, as they’re required for preservation.
Canning Chipotles in Adobo
Remove any stems and caps from the chipotle and ancho peppers. Place the peppers into a heatproof bowl, pour in the boiling water, and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Leave the bowl on the counter and let the peppers rehydrate for 30 minutes.
Use tongs to move the ancho chiles into a blender. Ladle some of the soaking liquid into the blender, fix the lid in place, and blend on high until smooth. Pour the contents of the blender into a stainless steel stockpot or preserving pot. Use tongs to transfer the soaked chipotle peppers into the pot. Pour the soaking water through a fine mesh sieve into the pot to filter out any particles that fell to the bottom.
Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring very frequently to prevent scorching, or until the sauce is reduced by more than half and is as thick as ketchup.
Ladle into jars, leaving ½ inch (13 mm) of headspace. Dampen a paper towel with vinegar and use it to wipe the rims. Fasten the lids in place and tighten them appropriately.
Use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a canner filled with enough boiling water to cover the jars by 2 inches (5 cm). Put the lid in place and return to a full rolling boil. Process jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude (see below). Transfer jars to a wire rack or towel-lined counter. Cool completely (at least 12 hours) before removing any rings, wiping clean, and labeling. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
Altitude Adjustments for Chipotles in Adobo
In general, the altitude adjustments for water bath canning are as follows:
- For Under 1,000 Feet in Elevation – Process half-pint jars for 15 minutes
- For 1,001 to 3,000 Feet in Elevation – Process half-pint jars for 20 minutes
- For 3,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation – Process half-pint jars for 25 minutes
- For 6,001 to 8,000 Feet in Elevation – Process half-pint jars for 30 minutes
- For 8,001 to 10,000 Feet in Elevation – Process half-pint jars for 35 minutes
Canning Chipotles in Adobo Sauce
Chipotles in adobo are a classic ingredient in Latin American cooking, and they're easy to make at home.
Ingredients
- 3 ounces (84 g) dried chipotle peppers
- 1 dried ancho chile
- 3 cups (700 ml) boiling water
- 4 cups (900 g) tomato purée
- 1 cup (240 ml) cider vinegar
- 1 cup (201 g) diced onion
- ¾ cup (108 g) raw or brown sugar
- 8 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or pressed in a garlic press
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Remove any stems and caps from the chipotle and ancho peppers. Place the peppers into a heatproof bowl, pour in the boiling water and cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap. Leave the bowl on the counter and let the peppers rehydrate for 30 minutes.
- Use tongs to move the ancho chiles into a blender. Ladle some of the soaking liquid into the blender, fix the lid in place and blend on high until smooth. Pour the contents of the blender into a stainless steel stockpot or preserving pot. Use tongs to transfer the soaked chipotle peppers into the pot. Pour the soaking water through a fine mesh sieve into the pot to filter out any particles that fell to the bottom.
- Add the remaining ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for at least 30 minutes, stirring very frequently to prevent scorching, or until the sauce is reduced by more than half and is as thick as ketchup.
- Ladle into jars, leaving ½ inch (13 mm) of headspace. Dampen a paper towel with vinegar and use it to wipe the rims. Fasten the lids in place and tighten them appropriately.
- Use canning tongs to transfer the jars to a canner filled with enough boiling water to cover the jars by 2 inches (5 cm). Put the lid in place and return to a full rolling boil. Process jars for 15 minutes, adjusting for altitude; see notes below.
- Transfer jars to a wire rack or towel-lined counter. Cool completely (at least 12 hours) before removing any rings, wiping clean and labeling. Store in a cool, dark place for up to 1 year.
Notes
• When you open a jar of chipotles, be prepared to use them all at once or within 1 week. Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator.
• Dried ancho chiles are quite sweet and bring a little bit of that fruity sweetness to the sauce, making it more complex. If you can’t find dried anchos, you can skip using it without harming the safety of the recipe.
Altitude Adjustments for Chipotles in Adobo
In general, the altitude adjustments for water bath canning are as follows:
- For Under 1,000 Feet in Elevation - Process half-pint jars for 15 minutes
- For 1,001 to 3,000 Feet in Elevation - Process half-pint jars for 20 minutes
- For 3,001 to 6,000 Feet in Elevation - Process half-pint jars for 25 minutes
- For 6,001 to 8,000 Feet in Elevation - Process half-pint jars for 30 minutes
- For 8,001 to 10,000 Feet in Elevation - Process half-pint jars for 35 minutes
Vegetarian Canning Recipes
Need a few more meatless meal-in-a-jar canning recipes?
- Canning Carrot Soup
- Canning Butternut Squash Soup Base
- Canning Butternut and White Bean Soup
- Canning Thai Coconut Squash Soup
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