Chipotle Aioli

Chipotle Aioli by Stonewall Kitchen, smoky and creamy

Stonewall Kitchen's Chipotle Aioli is the company's smoky chili mayonnaise, where marinated chipotle peppers meet a base of rapeseed oil and egg. The heat remains mild and rounded, while the smoky aroma sets the tone.

Chipotle Aioli is the smoky chili mayonnaise from Stonewall Kitchen in Maine, in the northeastern United States. Inside the 500-gram jar, chipotle peppers are packed in their marinade of tomato purée, vinegar, and onion, along with white wine vinegar, garlic powder, mustard powder, and paprika.

Smoke, mild heat, and a velvety base

It is light orange and dense in the jar, and the warm scent of smoked chili hits you as soon as you open it.

First, you taste the velvety mayonnaise, then the smoke settles over it, broad and calm like over a cooled fire pit. The heat follows only afterwards and remains as a warmth that stays in the mouth without being overbearing. Anyone trying it straight from a spoon will quickly notice that fire is not the main attraction here.

Behind that, the marinade with tomato and onion makes itself known, the white wine vinegar pulls a fine acidity through, and the garlic powder rounds it all off. The smoke lingers longest on the tongue, which clearly distinguishes it from a merely spicy sauce.

On the burger, with fries, next to grilled food

Its place is wherever something comes off the grill or calls for a robust dip.

It makes an appearance on a burger, as a dip for fries and sweet potato wedges, or alongside grilled corn and steak. It also proves itself on toasted bread, in a wrap, and as a secret ingredient in a Mexican-inspired dish.

Fish tacos and breaded chicken strips gain direction from it, and a spoonful stirred into sour cream creates a milder dip for a crowd. A dollop is enough because the smoke carries far and elevates the whole plate. It is just as ready for baked potatoes, roasted cauliflower, and pot beans as it is for a barbecue evening.

From the same range by the company comes the Smoky Barbecue Aioli. Everything else from this range can be found under Aioli and Mayonnaises.

The pepper that goes into the jar already marinated

In the Aztec language of Nahuatl, chipotle means "smoked chili," and the name describes exactly what it is.

For this mayonnaise, the peppers are not added dry, but in their marinade of tomato purée, vinegar, onion, and spices, known in Mexico as adobo. This marinade is a spicy pickling sauce that adds acidity and salt to the pepper and softens its aroma.

That is precisely why the smoke here feels resolved and round instead of dusty, which easily happens with plain powder. Stonewall Kitchen additionally adds paprika, which contributes color and a subtle sweetness without increasing the heat. In the end, it tastes like a wood fire and is still mild enough for everyone at the table.

A dollop of smoke on a steaming burger

On a barbecue evening, it shows its true purpose when the burger is still steaming and a spoonful on top slowly starts to soften. The scent of a wood fire, a gentle warmth on the tongue, and a well-chilled drink—this moment needs nothing more. Tightly closed and kept in the fridge, the opened jar will last for several weeks for the next plate. To see what other jars Stonewall Kitchen creates, check out the Stonewall Kitchen collection.