Ladies and gentlemen– I want to dedicate this next recipe to all you daddies out there and to the women who love you. Let me just take a moment to monologue a little bit while simultaneously fighting back the urge to break out into sentimental sobbing. Dads– you are the bomb. I had the good fortune of being raised by a pretty great Dad. He taught me the value of hard work, showed me patience, and saw things in me that inspired me to be the best I can. I love you, Dad. Not only that, but I am doubly lucky to have the best father for my son and an amazing partner. I love how you love our baby and I couldn’t be half the Mom I am without you being the Dad that you are. I love you, Tony. Happy Father’s Day, everyone!
Now y’all know the best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, right? Let’s make some BBQ! Oh yeah, nothing says “I appreciate you” like mountains of meat dripping with a sweet and smoky sauce. And since peaches are starting to come into season, we’re gonna make our sauce out of them. Yes, sirree. Let’s get this party started.
This particular sauce is a great balance of all that is sacred in the BBQ world– it’s smoky, sweet, tangy, and spicy. The ancho chiles add spice and an earthiness that pairs perfectly with the peaches. It’s finger-lickin’ good and pretty darn easy to make. All you have to do is toast and soak the anchos, toss everything in a blender and puree, simmer, blend again, and that’s it. You don’t even have to get your cutting board out. Leave that bottle of Sweet Baby Somthingrather’s on the shelf for another day and try your hand at homemade. You’ll be so glad you did, for real.
Here are just a few applications for your batch of carefully crafted homemade BBQ sauce:
- Ribs!
- Put it in a quesadilla with some pepperjack cheese.
- Sweet and smoky baked beans.
- Pulled pork or chicken.
- BBQ chicken burritos.
- Slather it on some meat loaf.
- This sauce is killer on burgers.
- Chicken tender dipping.
- BBQ chicken pizza!
- Baste it on some grilled chicken/pork/beef.
- If you’re feeling extra adventurous, try it as a gravy for mashed potatoes. Trust me on this one.
And let’s keep it real for a moment, here. Even though this BBQ sauce would be a great way to bring a sloppy, sauce-covered grin to that special Dad in your life, it’s really for every one– every day. So whip up a quadruple batch while peaches are in season, toss it in the freezer, and keep it on hand for any day you’re in the mood for some good old fashioned BBQ. If you’re like me that’s just about every week. Seriously, I’m pretty sure BBQ is one of the best culinary inventions of all time.
What are your plans for Father’s Day? Tell us all about it! See you next time!
Peach-Ancho BBQ Sauce Recipe
Author: Danielle
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 6
This Peach-Ancho BBQ sauce is the perfect mix of sweet, smoky, tangy, and spicy. It’s great for grilling or anytime you’re craving some solid BBQ.
Ingredients
- 4 medium dried ancho chiles, seeds and stems removed
- 10 medium peaches, pits removed
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons liquid smoke (I used hickory flavored)
- 1 – 2 teaspoons cayenne, or more to taste
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Place a large, heavy skillet over high heat. Fill a medium saucepan with water and place over high heat and bring to a boil. Place the anchos on the hot skillet and toast for 5 seconds on each side or until the skins blister, but do not burn.
- Transfer the toasted anchos to the boiling water, stir to submerge, then cover and allow the chiles to soak for 15 minutes.
- Drain the anchos and transfer to a blender with all of the remaining ingredients except the butter. Blend until slightly chunky.
- Transfer the sauce to a large saucepan and place over high heat. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and allow to cook for 20 minutes.
- Transfer half of the cooked sauce to the blender along with the butter and blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat the process with the remaining cooked sauce. Stir the sauce and allow to cool to room temperature.
- At this point you could use the sauce right away, but if you want a sauce that tastes even better, transfer it to a jar, cover, and allow to sit overnight for the flavors to come together. Your patience will be rewarded.