You can make great chili sauces using the New Mexico, Pasilla, Guajillo, and Ancho chilies. I have less experience with Mulatto and Japones because I do not like their flavor as much, and I would only use those by themselves.

Here is my chili sauce recipe, which I make often:

Basic Chili Sauce

8 whole, dried chilies (Ancho, Pasilla, Guajillo combination*)
2 cups water
3 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried or fresh oregano
1 tsp red wine or balsamic vinegar (optional)

Remove the stems from the chilies and slit open to remove seeds and membranes. Place the chilies in a saucepan with the rest of the ingredients and simmer covered for 20-30 minutes. Blend coarsely with a stick blender (or pulse in a blender), and strain the mixture through a food mill or sieve to remove chili skins. Store in glass jar in refrigerator until ready to use. If you plan to store it very long, add 1 tsp of vinegar.

Note: This mixture can be thickened with a roux made from 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp flour. If you donâÂÂt use more than 2 cups of water, this should not be necessary.

When buying dried chilies, make sure they are still pliable and not too brittle, if possible.

Yield: approximately 1-1/2 cups.

* It is best to use only two or three types of chilies, such as Ancho and Pasilla or Ancho and Guajillo. Anchos have a heat index of 1000, Pasilla 2500, and Guajillo 5000. It is okay to add a cayenne for extra heat, however. You can substitute New Mexico chile for Ancho.

Lars

We like this harissa sauce from the Ball Book of Home Preserving. I mix it in lamb patties with some cumin, coriander and fennel and serve on the side like ketchup. Good mixed in rice, too. This makes a quart or so...easy to scale down if you don't want to can it. I used guajillos and anchos. Now if my tomatoes would just ripen....

Harissa Sauce

4 ounces dried chili peppers, seeds and stems removed
4 cups peeled,seeded and chopped tomatoes
2 cups chopped onions
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
4 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
1 tablespoon salt

Cover chili peppers with warm water and soak until softened, at least 20 minutes. Drain (reserve water) and coarsely chop.

Bring tomatoes, onions, sugar, vinegar, red pepper, cumin, and coriander to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until mixture is the consistency of ketchup, about 25 minutes.

Process chilies, garlic, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the chili soaking water in food processor until a smooth paste is formed. Stir into tomato mixture and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.

To can: Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes at 0-1000 ft., 15 minutes at 1001-6000 ft., and 20 minutes above 6000 ft..