Hot Smoke Finishing Sauce

I've been rediscovering an old hobby lately: homemade hot sauce. These are a few of my favorite hot sauces.

Hot Smoke Finishing Sauce
cribbed off of the old UC Berkeley recipe server, circa 2000

This is a delicious barbecue-type sauce, less hot than just plain flavorful. There's just so much going on -- bourbon, cocoa, chipotles, maple syrup! The original recipe called for dried thyme, but I substitute dried cilantro, just to keep all that coriander company.

2 Tbs olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, put through a press
1 Tbs brown sugar
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup bourbon
1 cup vinegar (any kind; I usually use plain white)
1 tsp allspice
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbs coriander
1 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
8 chipotles, canned or dried, split in half
1 habanero, split in half
1 (14 oz) bottle ketchup
1 1/2 cups water
pinch salt

Heat oil. Saute onion and garlic until soft. Lower heat. Add sugar, maple syrup, bourbon, vinegar, spices, and cocoa. Reduce 5 to 10 minutes. Cut chiles in half and add to pot along with ketchup, water and salt. Simmer over low heat for 90 minutes, covered, stirring occasionally. Add water if sauce becomes thicker than ketchup. Cool slightly and puree in blender. Bottle in a squeeze bottle or wide-mouth jar -- it's thick!

I eat this straight up on crackers. Absolutely mouthwatering.