This One Canned Ingredient Might Change Your PB&J Sandwiches Forever

A classically made PB&J is one of those recipes that can remind you of childhood, but sometimes even a nostalgic favorite deserves a more mature form. For those who appreciate an earthy, smoky kick in recipes, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce could be the game-changer that transforms your next lunch. Whether you deseed and mash a pepper straight out of the container to spread on top of a jam-covered piece of toast or make your own spiked jam with the stuff, welcoming a can of chipotle peppers into your sandwich-making attempts is an easy way to add depth to snacks and meals. The smoky, spicy heat can complement your favorite fruit spreads and emphasize the fresh, juicy flavor found in homemade strawberry compote or apricot preserves. 

Smoked and dried jalapeño peppers are rehydrated and canned in an aromatic sauce made up of garlicky tomato purée, vinegar, and spices. The ingredient alone can perk up a variety of recipes, but it can also complement other spicy ingredients, fresh herbs, recipes with dairy or vinegar, and meals with sweeter profiles. To make your own smoky fruit jam, use frozen or fresh berries, combine with these savoy canned chipotles, and add dates, figs, or honey to sweeten. This creation will thicken as it cools, and when kept in an air-tight container in the fridge, can be used for the next week on slices of toast, spooned on top of dinner rolls, and smothered onto meatloaf for a fresh, hot take on familiar favorites.

If you are setting out to make preserves with the peppers, make more than what you think you'll need. You'll need a few of these chipotle peppers to pair with a pint of fruit if you're making your own jam. Once simmered into a thicker paste, you can blend your mixture to the desired consistency and adjust to taste. Extra peppers can bring on more heat, while drizzles of maple syrup, a splash of vanilla extract, or spoonfuls of agave can bring sweetness to your creation. Should your palate call for any of these flavors to be amplified, a final flourish of flaky sea salt can turn this sweet slow burner into a number one hit.

Once you've tasted chipotle-enhanced PB&Js, you can go wild with recipe variations. Try using almond butter or tahini sauce and make chipotle-enhanced PB&Js with fresh pears or apples. For even more smoky layers in your PB&Js, add a dash of dried chipotle pepper or chipotle seasoning powder to your sandwich. Clocking in at under $2 per tin, this is one of those canned products that deserves a place among your pantry staples. Purée the saucy peppers straight from the can to mix into other recipes or combine with other ingredients to create creams and spreads. As long as smokey canned chipotles in adobo are invited to the dinner table, you'll have a crowd pleaser among any lovers of heat.