Natural Grapeseed Oil –

Using unflavored grapeseed oil allows the fresh mango’s natural flavor to shine and the floral, sweet flavor to come through in this recipe.

Onion –

Yellow onions are our go-to pantry staple that’s great for cooking and flavoring most dishes, but feel free to use whatever you have.

Ginger –

Considered a hot spice, ginger packs an additional punch of heat, flavor, and aroma.

Garlic –

Adding a unique, almost nutty flavor, you’ll want to add the garlic after the onions in the cooking process to allow for a robust garlicky flavor to develop and come through when the sauce is finished.

Mango –

One of the world’s most popular fruits – a perfectly ripe mango, adds a creamy, fruity tropical taste to this barbecue sauce. You’ll want to rely on your sense of sight, smell, and touch to tell a ripe mango from an unripe one. Unripe mango is usually hard, green, and very firm, but as it ripens, the color will develop to a deep yellow with orange and red hues, depending on the type. The sweet, appealing smell is the secret to knowing a mango is ripe. When lightly squeezed, the skin will give slightly. But if your fingers sink into the skin when pressing, it’s probably overripe, resulting in the smell being almost sour or vinegary because it has begun to ferment.

Dark Brown Sugar –

Adding a rich deep caramel flavor, dark brown sugar contains nearly twice as much molasses as light brown sugar (6.5% compared to 3.5%). Don’t panic. If light brown is all you have, you can substitute light for dark interchangeably in this recipe. To achieve a deeper caramel taste, include one tablespoon of molasses to enhance the flavor and acidity of the sauce.

Honey –

Adding a touch of honey heightens the floral sweetness of the sauce, elevating it in a slightly different way from the brown sugar.

Tomato Paste –

It gives this barbecue sauce a base full of familiar tomato richness without the sweetness of ketchup which we’re already getting from the additions of brown sugar and honey.

Pineapple Juice –

Providing a bit of personality with a dash of acidity, pineapple juice adds a fabulous layer of subtle sweet citrusy flavor that compliments the mango in this sauce beautifully.

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) –

A good vinegar choice for most cooking and baking purposes, ACV adds a fruity tartness that increases the flavor without a vinegary bite.

Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce –

Adding just enough heat to make your lips tingle, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce is our first choice for adding that bit of extra “zing” that makes this sauce extra good. You could also substitute canned green chilis or jalapeños.

Salt and Black Pepper –

Because everything is better with a bit of salt and pepper!