We did it, guys! We cracked the code and discovered the secret of our generation … we made the infamous orange sauce and we made it really really effing well. This doesn’t mean we’ll stop visiting our favorite local Taquerias (heck, we didn’t say we can make carnitas) — no no, it simply means that we no longer have to ask for “extra sauce” or try and stuff the squirt bottle down the front of our pants and slink out like a thieving creep. We now have the knowledge to create all the orange sauce one could ever want and we’ve decided to share this AMAZING recipe with you, lovely reader.

Ingredients:

2 Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise

1/2 yellow onion, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rounds

1 cup vegetable oil

3 large cloves garlic, peeled

1/2 cup packed dried arbol chilies, stemmed

1/3 cup cider vinegar

1/2 cup water

1 tbsp. kosher salt (we forgot to add the salt to the first batch, not cool, don’t skip this step)

Instructions:

Place a rack about 4” from the top in your oven and turn on the broiler.

Line a baking sheet with foil and place the tomatoes, cut side down and the onion slices onto the sheet.

Broil for 10 to 12 minutes, until soft and charred in spots.

While the onions and tomatoes cool, place a pan over medium heat on the stove and add 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil.

Add the garlic cloves and chilies to the pan and sauté, stirring frequently for 2-3 mins. Chilies should be just slightly brown, but not burnt.

Transfer chilies and garlic to a blender. Add vinegar and water and let mixture soak for about 5 mins.

Add broiled onions and tomatoes to blender and pulse at high speed until smooth.

Turn down blender to low and add salt and remaining oil slowly allowing sauce to thicken.

Pour sauce onto basically anything and be blown away by its deliciousness!

Recipe adapted from Tacolicious

There you have it. Consider your mind blown and don’t forget to watch the slightly janky video of our first attempt. Stay tuned for future attempts at making our orange sauce even more auténtico!

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