Bold Chipotle Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce delivers everything you want in a barbecue sauce: smoky, tangy, thick, spicy, and sweet. Brush it on grilled meats, use it for dipping chicken fingers or fries, or drizzle over roasted vegetables for an extra kick.
After 18 years of marriage and 17 years of parenting, my husband and I still joke about how we manage Mother’s Day and Father’s Day for each other. We’ve tried everything from a too-cold “Mama Bear” breakfast (carrot sticks, olives, graham crackers, and milk at dawn) to a too-hot “Papa Bear” outing that turned into a greasy feast of unfamiliar dishes. This year, the boys and I finally found a Goldilocks solution: a day of fishing followed by a grilled dinner for Dad, finished with a batch of homemade Bold Chipotle Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce.
It feels fitting—years ago my husband researched and bought a grill for me as a Mother’s Day gift, then promptly claimed it as his own. He still insists it was the best Mother’s Day present he ever gave himself. This year I’m letting him take the lead: he’ll grill while listening to audiobooks and sipping an ice-cold beverage, and the kids and I will handle prep and the finishing touches.
The boys and I will arrange the ingredients and set out bottles of Bold Chipotle Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce so he can focus on perfecting his beloved smoked chicken. The sauce pairs naturally with smoky, garlicky chipotle peppers—the Coca-Cola adds sweetness and depth while balancing the heat and tang for a classic barbecue profile.
Mini glass Coca-Cola bottles are especially handy for this recipe: three minis reduce down to the ideal amount of cola, and the empty bottles make charming table decor. Have older kids fill a couple of bottles with the barbecue sauce and let younger children fill others with water and wildflowers to freshen up your picnic or dinner table. The bottle caddy also works well for carrying silverware.
Cola and chipotle are a natural match: the cola’s sweetness and caramel notes complement the chipotle’s smoky, garlicky heat. The result is a balanced sauce that’s slightly sweet, tangy, and pleasantly spicy. It’s simple enough that kids can help make it, and the finished sauce can be refrigerated or frozen for later use.
Chipotle Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce
I like using mini bottles or cans of Coca-Cola because three minis reduce to just about the right amount for this recipe, and the small bottles are cute for serving or decorating. To make the sauce, reduce the cola to roughly one-third of its original volume—about 1 cup. You can measure it or simply eyeball it.
Once the cola is reduced, add the remaining ingredients and bring everything to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the sauce deepens to a brick-red color and reaches your desired thickness. I usually simmer for about six minutes, which yields a thick, richly colored sauce. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
For a smoother, fuller-bodied sauce, puree the chipotles and garlic into the sauce with an immersion blender or a countertop blender. If using a standard blender, vent the lid slightly and cover the vent with a towel to allow steam to escape safely; puree on high for 30 seconds to a minute.
If you plan to fill mini glass Coca-Cola bottles with the finished sauce, use a funnel to avoid spills. Thicker sauces will pour more slowly, so take your time. Store the barbecue sauce in a jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate—resealing does not make it shelf stable. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or can be frozen for up to six months.
Connect with Foodie with Family
facebook | pinterest | instagram | twitter
Bold Chipotle Coca-Cola Barbecue Sauce
Rebecca Lindamood
Ingredients
- 3 mini bottles Coca-Cola 8 ounces each
- 1 1/2 cups ketchup
- 3 chipotles in adobo save the rest of the can for another purpose
- 3 cloves garlic peeled and minced or pressed through a garlic press
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
-
Pour the Coca-Cola into a saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil and reduce the Coca-Cola to about 1/3 of its original volume, or about 1 cup. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring well. Reduce the heat to medium. Bring to a boil again, lower the heat and simmer for 6 minutes until darker in colour and slightly thickened. Let the barbecue sauce cool slightly before running a stick blender through it to puree the chipotles in adobo into the sauce. After blending, transfer to a jar with a tight fitting lid. This can be served immediately, stored (tightly covered) in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, or frozen for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag @foodiewithfam on Instagram and use #foodiewithfamily so I can see your creations!
Originally published June 17, 2015. Revised and republished June 2017.