Talk about two rich flavors that are at opposite ends of the taste spectrum. Yet together, they’re magic. On one side you have rich, sweet maple syrup, and on the other smoky, spicy chipotle pepper. Paired in a barbecue sauce, they give you a taste bud explosion for your next cookout.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Sweet maple and smoky chipotle, sharpened with cider vinegar, Dijon and Worcestershire. |
| Primary heat source | Three chipotles in adobo. Chipotles run 2,500 to 8,000 SHU, the same range as a jalapeño. |
| Heat level | Medium. Use two chipotles for a milder sauce. |
| Texture | Thick and glossy once simmered, with small bits of onion unless you blend it. |
| Best uses | A glaze for ribs, pork and chicken, on steak, or as a dip for anything fried. |
| Customization ideas | Fewer chipotles, a spoonful of adobo for more heat, honey in place of maple, or blended smooth. |
| Before you start | About 35 minutes, most of it simmering, plus time to cool. Makes about 2 cups. |
Flavor notes
Chipotles are smoke-dried jalapeños, so they bring smoke along with their heat. How hot are they? About the same as a fresh jalapeño, at 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units. With three minced into the pot, plus the adobo clinging to them, this sauce comes out at a solid medium heat.
Then there’s the maple, which sweetens the sauce like brown sugar would, but with a rounder, caramel-like flavor that pairs naturally with the chipotle’s smoke.
But sweet and smoky alone would taste flat. That’s the job of the cider vinegar, Dijon and Worcestershire. They give the sauce a sharp, savory edge, so it tastes like barbecue sauce and not syrup.
The simmer is where it comes together. Twenty to 25 minutes uncovered cooks off some of the liquid and thickens the sauce. Pull it when it coats the back of a spoon, and expect it to thicken a little more as it cools.
Adaptation ideas
Most of these change the heat, the sweetness or the texture.
- Too much heat? Use two chipotles instead of three.
- Want it hotter? Stir in a spoonful of the adobo sauce from the can, or a fourth chipotle.
- Want it smooth? Blend it with an immersion blender once it has simmered, so there are no bits of onion.
- Out of maple syrup? Honey works in the same amount and gives you a sweeter, more floral sauce.
- Want more maple flavor? Use a dark, robust maple syrup, which tastes stronger than the golden kind.
Serving ideas
Where does it work best? On steak, pork or chicken, and as a dip for anything fried.
- As a glaze: Brush it on ribs, pork chops or chicken during the last few minutes of grilling, since the maple can scorch over high heat.
- On steak: Spoon it over grilled steak, or serve it on the side.
- As a dip: Serve it with fries, onion rings or spicy chicken strips.
- On sandwiches: Toss it with pulled pork or shredded chicken, or spread it on a burger.
Storage notes
Let the sauce cool, then keep it in a covered jar in the fridge for up to a week, and stir it before you use it.
If you’re using it to baste raw meat, pour off what you need into a separate bowl first, and don’t put any leftover basting sauce back in the jar.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Maple Chipotle Sauce: The same sweet and smoky pairing, finished with butter and made for dipping.
- Honey Chipotle BBQ Sauce: Honey and chipotle, for barbecue on the sweeter side.
- Raspberry Chipotle BBQ Sauce: Tangy sweet raspberries with smoky chipotle, plus brown sugar and smoked paprika.
50 quick, bold sauces and salsas: classic salsas and fun twists, BBQ sauces with a kick, and dippers with bang. Simple to make, big on flavor.
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Sweet Maple Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce minced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 small yellow onion minced
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium heat, then cook the onions and garlic until the onions are translucent (approximately 5 minutes).
- Add the remaining ingredients to the saucepan, stirring often, and bring the mix to a quick boil, then reduce the heat.
- Let the sauce simmer uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring approximately every 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken during this time. Remove from heat when it has reached the thickness you prefer.
- Pour the sauce into a glass bowl and allow it to cool for 15 to 20 minutes prior to use.
