Coffee BBQ sauce with chili peppers

Ingredients:

• 3 guajillo peppers
• 3 mulato peppers
• Half a medium onion, cut into wedges
• 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 2 tbsp. l. corn oil
• 1 tbsp. tomato puree
• 1 cup strong black coffee
• 1/4 tbsp. sugar turbinado
• 1 tbsp coarse salt + more to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• A pinch of ground cloves
• A pinch of cumin
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Preparation:

1. Slice the chili peppers, remove the seeds, and remove the stems. Toast the chili peppers in a dry skillet over medium heat, turning and flattening with a spatula, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Place the chili peppers in a heatproof bowl, cover with very hot water, and set aside to soften, about 30 minutes. Remove the chili peppers from the water, reserving the liquid, coarsely chop, and set aside.
2. While the peppers are soaking, sauté the onion and garlic in the same dry skillet over medium heat until the onion is slightly darkened and the garlic is softened, about 8 minutes. Let cool, squeeze the garlic out of its skin, and add it to a blender along with the chili peppers and onion. Blend until a paste forms, adding more of the soaking liquid (about 3/4 cup) if needed.
3. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chili paste and cook, stirring, until thickened and fragrant, about 4 minutes. Add the tomato puree, coffee, sugar, 1 tablespoon salt, oregano, cloves, and cumin. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 15 minutes.
4. Add vinegar, salt and pepper to taste.
   
   Note
   
   For this recipe, Mexican oregano is preferred. Its flavor is stronger than Italian oregano, so it won't be overpowered by the other ingredients in this sauce.