Recreate the magic of Macheezmo Mouse Boss Sauce at home with this easy, spot-on copycat recipe. This unique and versatile condiment will elevate your favorite dishes - from brown rice to burritos - and deliver the perfect blend of sweet, tangy spice in every bite!
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What's the Story on Boss Sauce?
Back in the mid-90s, Macheezmo Mouse was a popular Portland-based restaurant chain known for its eclectic and flavorful Mexican-inspired menu, its vibrant fast-casual atmosphere, and its commitment to using fresh, locally-sourced ingredients. One of Macheezmo Mouse's standout creations was its signature Boss Sauce, a staple in many of its dishes.
For a couple of years, my kiddos and I spent a lot of rainy days at Macho Mouse, along with my Mama-crew. I think we may have gone as often as once a week at one point. I know: it sounds excessive. But looking back, I can see our Macho Mouse lunches were simple momenomics: we got a clean, safe, easy to watch indoor play place for our toddlers on any given afternoon for the price of a cheese quesadilla.
Macheezmo Mouse closed their doors in 2003, and I miss Boss Sauce. Turns out I'm not alone, either: there are at least two Facebook groups (and who knows how many Reddit threads) dedicated to the love of this tangy, versatile condiment. That's where I learned that the actual recipe for Boss Sauce is a trade secret, and (like the Colonel's 11 herbs and spices) legally protected for perpetuity, even after the demise of the company.
Well, we've come up against recipe challenges like this before (check out the comments section of our wildly popular Original Taco House Fiesta Dressing!), so Mr B and I donned our molecular gastronomist hats and got to it.
To recreate the recipe, I went first to the internet, where I found a number of hints and vague guesses, and even a couple of actual recipes. I also found an image of an old Boss Sauce ingredient label, and all of this gave us a good jumping off point.
Crafting the perfect copycat Boss Sauce involved finding the right balance of tanginess, sweetness, and spice. It took a number of trial runs to hit on the correct ingredients and measurements; and giving credit where it's due, we leaned heavily on a recipe I found in the I Miss Boss Sauce FB Group for our basic ingredient list. It may be tempting to add more ingredients (e.g., garlic, lime, tamarind, etc.) but after much testing, we found that a short, simple list yielded a basic Boss Sauce Sauce that tasted closest to what we remember. (We've also included variations on the recipe card for Ultra-mild Boss Sauce and Spicier Boss Sauce.)
When you make this recipe, you may question (as I did) whether it is indeed the Boss Sauce you remember. To spark those long-buried food memories, I highly recommend serving it generously over a simple bowl of brown rice sprinkled with grated Oaxaca cheese. When I first tried this classic combination with our copycat sauce, I was transported back to the mid-90s and our favorite table at Macheezmo Mouse, chatting with my Mama-crew and watching our toddlers eat quesadillas, all of us blissfully oblivious to what lay ahead.
Boss Sauce Ingredients
- Ancho chilies: Ancho chilies are dried poblano peppers, known for their deep, smoky, and mildly sweet flavor. You can find them in bags, in the Hispanic foods aisle of your grocery store.
- Orange juice concentrate: This is used to impart a strong citrusy taste to the sauce without adding excess liquid. We made batches using both a popular brand and store brand orange juice concentrate and found no notable difference in flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar has a tangy and slightly sweet flavor, perfect for this sauce.
- Dark soy sauce: Dark soy sauce is a thicker, darker and slightly sweeter than regular soy sauce. If you cannot find dark soy sauce, use regular Tamari. Avoid using regular soy sauce if possible.
- Dark brown sugar: Dark brown sugar is made by adding molasses to refined white sugar. If you don't have dark brown sugar, use light brown sugar and add a tablespoon of molasses to the mixture.
- Cumin: Do not go overboard with the cumin.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Macheezmo Mouse Boss Sauce
Using kitchen shears, remove the stems from the chilis, and then cut the chilies in half from stem to blossom end. Put the cut chilis in a medium mixing bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for one hour.
- Classic Boss Sauce: Leave the seeds in the chilies.
- Ultra-Mild: Once you cut them in half, shake the seeds from the chilies. (Don't worry if a few hang on. These are very mild chilies already.)
- Spicier: Add 4-5 japones chilis (also called hontaka, santaka, and oriental chile peppers) to the hot water soak. Do not worry about stems or deseeding.
Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the chilies from the water and place them in a medium saucepan with the remaining ingredients. Reserve the chili water in the mixing bowl.
Bring the mixture in the saucepan to a simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce heat to low and lightly simmer for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
Pour the mixture into a blender and puree until smooth, adding reserve chili water as needed.
The sauce will thicken considerably as it cools. Add more chili water to achieve the consistency you like. (We prefer our Boss Sauce to be about the same as that of thick ketchup.)
Variations
- Ultra-Mild Boss Sauce: Remove most of the seeds fro the dried ancho chilis.
- Spicier Boss Sauce: Add 4-5 japones chilis (also called hontaka, santaka, and oriental chile peppers) to the hot water soak.
Storage
Refrigerator: Boss sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
UPDATE: The above storage recommendation is based on USDA guidelines for similar homemade sauces, and it's always important to prioritize food safety. That said, I once kept a bottle of Boss Sauce in my fridge for almost 6 months, and it tasted just as delicious as the day I made it. So I'm guessing that it has true a shelf life similar to ketchup.
Freezer: Freeze Boss sauce in a Mason jar or an air-tight, freezer-safe bag for up to one year. We like to preserve this sauce using a vacuum sealer; it will stay good in the freezer for up to two years when stored this way.
What Does Boss Sauce Taste Like?
Boss Sauce is known for its distinctive flavor combo of tangy, sweet, and spice elements. It reminds me of a robust, slightly spicy, Mexi-influenced hoisin sauce, with mild fruity and citrus undertones somewhat reminiscent of tamarind.
More Spot-on Copycat Recipes
Our enthusiasm for recreating our favorite restaurant recipes runs deep, and we don't take the challenge lightly! Hours of dedicated trial and error in the kitchen have led to the creation of our collection of popular copycat recipes.
What Goes with Boss Sauce
Our favorite way to serve Boss Sauce is over a simple brown rice bowl (with or without chicken); however, there are a multitude of other creative uses for this culinary chameleon:
- Drizzle it over nachos, tacos, or quesadillas.
- Marinate grilled chicken, beef, or shrimp for a burst of flavorful Macheezmo magic.
- Toss roasted vegetables in Boss Sauce for a delectable kick.
- Dip spring rolls, dumplings, or use it with other Asian-inspired dishes.
- Mix it into pasta salad.
- Blend it with mayo for a signature sandwich spread.
- Mix it with sour cream for a unique salad dressing.
- Use it as a pizza sauce alternative.
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Macheezmo Mouse Boss Sauce
Equipment
- 1 medium saucepan
- 1 Blender
Ingredients
- 10-12 whole anchos chilis (dried Poblanos)
- 12 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate (1 can)
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- ½ cup dark soy sauce or Tamari
- ¾ teaspoon cumin
Instructions
- Using kitchen shears to remove the stems from the chilies, and cut the chilies in half from stem to blossom end. Cover the chilies with boiling water and let them soak for one hour.
- Using tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the chilies from the water and place them in a medium saucepan with the remaining ingredients. Reserve the chili water in the mixing bowl.
- Bring the mixture in the saucepan to a simmer over medium-low heat. Reduce heat to low and lightly simmer for about 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
- Pour the mixture into a blender, and puree until smooth, adding reserve chili water as needed.
- The sauce will thicken considerably as it cools. Add more chili water to achieve the desired consistency.
Notes
Nutrition
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
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JP says
Thanks for the recipe. It’s been 20 years since I had famous #5. I fuzzy on its makeup…brown rice with black beans with a shredded white cheese. There is a tomato topping…do you recall if this is correct?
Renée B. says
Great memory, JP! A Famous #5 is/was black beans, brown rice, white cheddar, salsa, and cilantro. And Boss sauce, of course.