sauce
Red Chili
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Prep
15 minutes
Cook
1 hour 15 minutes
Total
1 hr 30 min
Serves
about 480 ml (2 cups)
Thick, tomato-heavy, and built with fried jalapeño oil stirred in at the end, this red chili has a different kind of heat than most, the jalapeños fry in the oil first, so the spice is warm and deep rather than sharp and green.
Ingredients
- 3.1 kg (7 lb) roma tomatoes
- ½ yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1½ garlic cloves
- 1 jalapeños, thinly sliced
- 60 ml (¼ cup) canola oil
- 1 tbsp salt
- Water to cover
Instructions
- 1Combine the tomatoes, onion, and garlic in a large stock pot. Add enough water to cover halfway.
- 2Bring to a boil, then lower to a steady simmer.
- 3Cook for 1 hour until the tomatoes and onion are completely soft.
- 4Let cool slightly, then blend in batches until smooth.
- 5In a separate pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced jalapeños and fry for 3–4 minutes until they soften and the oil turns fragrant.
- 6Add the jalapeño and oil mixture to the pureed sauce. Stir to combine.
- 7Season with salt.
Cook's Note
Let the jalapeños actually fry in the oil, 30 seconds is not enough. They need 3–4 minutes so they soften, turn slightly golden, and their flavor fully transfers into the oil. That oil is the sauce's seasoning.
Best Served With
Huevos rancheros, tacos, or as a base sauce for enchiladas.
Why This Recipe Works
Frying the jalapeños in oil then adding both to the sauce gets you a lot more flavor than adding raw chiles would. The oil carries the chile flavor through every spoonful instead of leaving it in separate pieces.
Make It Yours
- Add a chipotle or two for smoky depth.
- Simmer the finished sauce an extra 20 minutes to concentrate it further.
Leftover Strategy
Keeps refrigerated for 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
Want to impress guests with this dish? Ask Jeff →
Pairing
Cold Mexican lager ↗ or black coffee (for huevos rancheros).
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