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Mexican Mole Poblano Sauce
5 from 3 votes

Mexican Mole Poblano Sauce

Mexican Mole Poblano Sauce

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
3 hrs
Servings: 8
Calories: 238 kcal
Course: Condiments
Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients

  • 8 ancho chili peppers
  • 6 guajillo chili
  • 2 morita chili or arbol
  • water boiling
  • 1 corn tortilla yellow or white
  • 1 teaspoon oregano dried, preferably Mexican
  • ½ teaspoon cloves ground
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil divided
  • ½ cup onion cut into strips
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tablespoon almonds sliced or chopped
  • 1 tablespoon pecans chopped
  • 1 teaspoon anise seeds
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns whole
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • ½ teaspoon allspice berries
  • 2 tablespoon raisins
  • 3 lices banana about ½-inch each slice
  • 4 cups chicken stock divided
  • ½ cup whole tomatoes drained
  • 2 oz Mexican chocolate
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar dark
  • 1½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Bring a saucepan of water to a boil (about 3 cups).
  2. Cut the stems from the chilis and remove most of the seeds inside. It's okay if you tear the chilis open to help get rid of seeds.
  3. Place the chilis in a heat-proof bowl and pour the boiling water over them. Place a small plate (or anything heat-proof) over the top of the chilis to help keep them all submerged. Allow them to soak for 30 minutes.
  4. While the chilis are soaking, turn your grill to medium-high. Place the tortilla over direct heat and cooked until dried out and browned in places. Turn off the grill and bring the cooked tortilla inside. (This can also be done over a gas stove or under the broiler).
  5. Drain the chilis into a colander over another heatproof bowl, reserving the soaking liquid.
  6. Transfer the soaked chilis to a blender and pulse several times, using a small spatula to scrape down the edges and un-lodge any pieces that might have gotten caught in the blade. Add the oregano, ground cloves, and about ½ cup of the soaking liquid and purée again. The mixture should be very thick. Add another ½ cup soaking liquid and purée again. The mixture should not be runny, but almost like a paste.
  7. Transfer the chili purée to a sieve over a bowl. Use a wooden spatula to press the chili mixture through. Keep pressing until everything but the skins have passed through. You should have about 1 to 1¼ cups of the chili purée. Set aside. Clean out the blender vessel and place on its base.
  8. Heat 2 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, gently place the onions and garlic in the center of the skillet and let cook for 4 minutes, gently pushing around with a wooden spoon (but not too much).
  9. Place the following ingredients around the onion and garlic in the hot oil: Almonds, pecans, anise seeds, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, raisins, and banana slices. Cook for another 4 minutes, until very fragrant and the onion slices are slightly charred on the edges.
  10. Use a large spoon to scoop up and transfer the lightly fried skillet ingredients into the cleaned blender. Once all has been transferred, pulse the blender a few times. Use a spatula to scrape the edges and pulse again.
  11. Add 1 cup chicken broth, close the lid to the blender, and purée again until smooth, about 1 minute. Break up the tortilla and add to the blender along with the tomatoes. Purée for another minute. The mixture will be light brown and somewhat thin.
  12. Meanwhile, clean out the large skillet. Then, over medium heat, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Add the chili purée and cook, stirring often for about 2 minutes. Stir in the thin mixture from the blender. Keep stirring until fully mixed. The color should turn to a deep burnt orange or brown.
  13. Stir in the chocolate and mix until fully melted. Stir in the brown sugar and salt. Continue cooking (stirring often) for 1 hour, adding more chicken stock to maintain a velvety sauce consistency (usually about 3 cups of stock over the hour). The sauce is now ready to use or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Notes

  • See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel. 
  • You'll want to use approx. 8 ounces of dried chilis. Chili options include
  • SPICE LEVELS: Morita peppers are dried red jalapeños and pack plenty of heat (similar to a chipotle). Arbol peppers and New Mexico carry quite a bit of heat, too. Ancho and pasilla chilis are mild. Guajillo chiles are between mild and spicy.  NOTE: Use any combination of these, but remember, if you go with more than a couple of spicy chilis, your mole will have a kick to it. 
  • For the nuts, you can use one of the following, or any combination:
  • The mole will keep in the fridge (covered) for up to a week and can be frozen for up to 2 months. 
  • Ancho
  • Guajillo
  • Morita
  • Arbol
  • Pasilla
  • New Mexico
  • Almonds (these are almost always used)
  • Pecans
  • Walnuts
  • Peanuts

Nutrition Information

Calories 238kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 42g (14%) Protein 9g (18%) Fat 8g (12%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g (18%) Monounsaturated Fat 7g (35%) Cholesterol 5mg (2%) Sodium 690mg (29%) Potassium 999mg (21%) Fiber 13g (52%) Sugar 21g (42%) Vitamin A 10064IU (201%) Vitamin C 16mg (18%) Calcium 52mg (5%) Iron 3mg (17%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 238

% Daily Value*

Calories 238kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 42g 14%
Protein 9g 18%
Fat 8g 12%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Monounsaturated Fat 7g 35%
Cholesterol 5mg 2%
Sodium 690mg 29%
Potassium 999mg 21%
Fiber 13g 52%
Sugar 21g 42%
Vitamin A 10064IU 201%
Vitamin C 16mg 18%
Calcium 52mg 5%
Iron 3mg 17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.