Ranchera Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until slightly browned, about 5 minutes. Cook and stir onion in the bacon grease until onion is transparent, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove bacon from skillet and drain on a paper towel-lined plate; crumble.
• Stir chopped tomatoes, tomato sauce, cilantro, jalapeno pepper, salt, pepper, and crumbled bacon into onion; bring to a simmer and cook until flavors blend, about 15 minutes.

Steps:

• On a gas range or under a broiler, roast the green, red and poblano peppers until well charred. Let cool. Stem and seed the charred peppers. Coarsely chop and set aside.
• In a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle, finely grind the whole guajillo and pasilla chiles and set aside.
• In a large saucepan, warm the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, covered, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the guajillo and pasilla chiles, cumin, chili powder, oregano, thyme, black pepper, salt and garlic. Stir and cook until the spices become fragrant and are fully coated in oil, 3 to 5 minutes.
• Add the tomatoes, green chiles and sugar. Stir and continue to cook until the sauce starts to simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook until the vegetables soften and the flavors come together, 30 to 40 minutes. Taste and add additional salt and pepper as needed.

Steps:

• Combine everything in a large pot or rondeau, and simmer over gentle heat for 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent any scorching on the bottom. Add a little water if it becomes any thicker than ketchup. Allow to cool before puréeing.
• Working in a blender in batches, purée until smooth. Check the salt seasoning. Let cool.
• Transfer to quart or pint containers, and stock your freezer, or put the sauce in something more attractive - rubber-sealed jars with hinged lids? - to make gifts of the stuff. Ranchero sauce keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to 1 year. (It may separate a little, in which case you can simply reheat and give a new buzz in a blender to reunify.)

Steps:

• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add next 6 ingredients and sauté until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add broth and tomato sauce and cook until sauce thickens and reduces to 1 1/2 cups, stirring frequently, about 20 minutes. Mix in cilantro.

Steps:

• Heat a griddle over medium heat or preheat a boiler on low with the broiler rack 8 inches from the broiler. Place tomatoes on griddle and cook, turning as necessary, until evenly softened and skins are blackened, 15 to 20 minutes. If using a broiler, place tomatoes on a broiler pan and broil, turning as necessary, until evenly softened and skins are blackened, about 20 minutes. Transfer tomatoes to a bowl and let cool. Peel and core tomatoes.
• Working in batches of necessary, combine roasted tomatoes, chiles, and garlic in a blender and blend until smooth. Place cinnamon stick on a 6-inch square of cheesecloth and tie with kitchen twine to enclose.
• Heat vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the pureed tomato mixture and bring to a boil. Stir in salt, sugar, and cinnamon. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until lightly thickened, about 30 minutes. If sauce becomes too thick, reduce heat and add water 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Remove sauce from heat and adjust seasonings, if desired. Sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance. Let cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat over low heat, adding water 1 tablespoon at a time, if necessary, to return sauce to desired consistency.