How to Cook With Ancho Chiles

Ancho chiles are the dried version of ripe, red poblano chiles. In their fresh state, poblano peppers are large, plump chiles with origins in the state of Puebla, Mexico. They’re usually harvested when green and served in dishes like chiles rellenos. If left to ripen until red and then dried, these dried poblano peppers are known as ancho chiles. The word ancho means “wide” in Spanish, a nod to their shape.

Ancho chiles have a smoky taste and are used in a variety of dishes. Here’s what makes them unique:

• A smoky flavor when dried: Ancho chiles vary in spiciness, but they generally have a mild to medium heat and have a lightly smoky, fruity flavor that’s well suited to marinades as part of an adobo, or chile paste.
  
• A subtle earthy flavor when fresh: When dried, fresh poblano peppers have a complex flavor reminiscent of prunes and sun-dried tomatoes.
• A mild spiciness: Compared to other chiles, anchos aren’t very spicy, registering 1,000–1,500 Scoville heat units. (Jalapeños, known as chipotles when smoked and dried, measure 2,500–8,000 SHU.)
• A flavor profile similar to that of mulato chiles: Ancho chile peppers are less spicy than their close relative the mulato chile, which comes from a spicier variety of poblano pepper that is left on the vine to ripen to a dark brown-red before drying. Along with pasilla chiles, anchos and mulatos are sometimes called “the holy trinity” for their popularity in Mexican cooking.

You can find whole dried ancho chiles at Mexican grocery stores, where they’re typically labeled “chile ancho.” Look for chiles that are not yet completely brittle. Ground ancho chile powder can be found in any store with a good spice section—or try griding your own ancho powder using a spice grinder. Once you have the whole dried chiles, you need to prep them:

1. 1. Remove the stems and seeds (if needed). These are the spiciest parts of the chiles.
2. 2. Briefly toast the dried chiles. Use a low oven or dry skillet to bring out the flavors.
3. 3. Cook with the toasted chiles. Try toasted chiles in mole sauce, a spicy brine for pickles, or braising liquid for meats.
4. 4. Try rehydrating ancho chiles. Soak dried anchos in hot water for about 30 minutes. Rehydrated chiles can be puréed into a paste to make tamale or enchilada sauce.
5. 5. Make adobo rojo de chiles. One of the most famous uses for ancho chiles is adobo rojo de chiles, a marinade used for dishes such as tacos al pastor. To make it, toast stemmed and seeded ancho chiles (along with other dried chiles such as cascabel, gaujillo chiles, pasilla chiles, and chile de árbol) and blend in a food processor with tomatoes, onion, garlic, achiote, orange juice, cumin, oregano, salt, and oil. The thick texture of the marinade (along with the tomatoes and orange juice) make rehydration unnecessary.

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