Apricot-Ancho Barbecue Sauce for Grilled Chicken

Sponsored by:

Makes 3 ¾ cups

6 strips of bacon, chopped
1 ½ cups small dice yellow onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
¾ cup ketchup
1 ¼ cups orange juice
1 cup chicken stock
¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
¼ cup malt vinegar
2 ancho chiles, diced
1 tsp sweet or hot paprika
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 tsp ground cayenne pepper
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper

1. Sauté the bacon in a large sauté pan over medium heat until almost crisp, about 4 minutes. Add the onions and sauté until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until aromatic, about 1 minute.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients. Simmer until the apricots are very soft, about 10 minutes. Taste the sauce and season with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
3. Transfer the mixture to the Professional Series container and secure lid. Select Variable 1. Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High. Blend for 30 seconds, using the accelerator tool to press the ingredients into the blades.
4. The sauce is ready to use now, or it can be cooled and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Tips:

• Chop the garlic and onion in the Professional Series container. Secure lid, select Variable 2 and turn machine on. Remove the lid plug and drop 8 medium peeled onion quarters and 3 peeled garlic cloves onto the blades. Blend until desired texture is reached.
• Substitute 3 medium peeled and quartered oranges in step 2 for the 1 ¼ cups of orange juice.
• It is not necessary to dice the ancho chiles when processing in the Professional Series container. Simply halve them and add during Step 2.

Create signature dishes the way professional chefs do—with the CIA™ Professional Series by Vita-Mix. It easily handles the work of many appliances, so you can blend, puree, chop, juice, grind and more, all in one versatile machine.