Green chiles grown in New Mexico that ripen in late summer, turning red in early fall. Hatch chiles are a variety of Anaheim chiles that tend to have a hotter heat index.
Jalapeño Most commonly used green, they turn red when ripened. Medium sized and medium heat.
Poblano A large, meaty, dark-green chile, commonly used stuffed and in rellenos. Medium to high heat.
Serrano Small, oblong green or red chiles with a bright, fresh flavor and a medium heat index.
DRIED
Ancho Dried poblano chile with a sweet, fruity flavor and a mild heat level.
Arbol Long, thin, and bright red with a long stem; believed to be derived from the cayenne pepper. Medium heat.
California or New Mexico Dried Anaheim or Hatch chiles with a dark, chocolaty color and very mild heat.
Chiltepin Small chiles the size of a pea yet very hot. They are slightly sweet yet smoky in flavor and are thought to be the oldest species of chiles. They add a slow burn that doesn’t overpower the flavor of other ingredients. Crush the dried chiles with your fingers and sprinkle onto dishes, much in the same way as you would use the dried chili flakes common to Italian cuisine.
ChipotleSmoked,dried jalapeños.
Guajillo Dried Mirasol chiles with a bright, slightly acidic flavor and a medium heat level.
Mulato Smoked dried poblano chiles with a rich, complex flavor and a mild heat level. Darker in color than the ancho.
Pasilla Also called a chile negro, pasilla chiles have a raisiny, earthy flavor and mild heat. They’re sometimes confused with anchos.
Puya Use as a substitute for guajillo chiles if you want a spicier kick.
Chiltepin chiles.
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California/ New Mexico
Ancho
Arbol
Puya
Mulato
Chipotle
Guajillo
Dried Chiles
Güero/Caribe
Jalapeño
Poblano
Serrano
Anaheim/Hatch
Fresh Chiles
HOW TO ROAST CHILES
Preheat the broiler or fire up the grill. Wash and dry the chiles. If broiling, place the chiles in a single layer on a baking sheet or comal. If grilling, you can put larger chiles directly on the grate, as close as possible to the heating element. Broil or grill until the skins are charred and blistered, about 10 minutes. Turn the chiles over with tongs and char the other side.
Remove the chiles from the heat and place them in a large heat-safe bowl. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap or foil and let steam for 15 minutes. Peel the skins off the chiles if desired, or leave them on for a more charred taste.
Make Your Own Chile Powder
YIELDS VARY
Some varieties of chiles can be expensive and/or hard to find, so don’t let a treasure trove of chiles go to waste. Amanda Horton, owner of Desert Provisions, showed me how easy it is to dry an abundance of fresh chiles and mill them into chile powder. Use a food dehydrator or the sun to thoroughly dry the chiles, then mill them into a fine powder using a coffee grinder reserved specifically for chile grinding.
Fresh chiles of your choiceWash chiles and cut them into ¹⁄4-inch slices. (Small chiles like chiltepin can be left whole.) Layer them in a food dehydrator. Set it to low. It will take about 12 hours for the chiles to dry thoroughly.
Put the dried chiles in a clean coffee grinder and blend to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container for up to six months.
Sonoran-Style Staples
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Homemade Seasoning Blends
YIELDS VARY
There are lots of ready-made seasoning blends on the market today. A lot of them are great—made from quality ingredients and very tasty. But I find that there’s no substitute for making your own spice blends at home. Here are a few of my go-to staples. Use hot or mild ground chilesdepending on your preference.
¹⁄4 cup ground chile peppers3 tablespoons dried onion flakes1 tablespoon garlic powder2 teaspoons Sonoran sea salt2 teaspoons dried Mexican oregano2 teaspoons hot or mild smoked paprika1 teaspoon ground coriander¹⁄2teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 part Sonoran sea salt1 part ground chiles
¹⁄2 cups Sonoran sea salt1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano1 tablespoon Santa Cruz Spice
Co. red chile powder, or other red Anaheim, New Mexico, or California chile powder 1 tablespoon garlic powder
Combine the ground chiles, onion flakes, garlic powder, salt, oregano, paprika, coriander, and cayenne pepper in a sealed airtight container. Store for up to 6 months.
Combine the salt and ground chiles in a sealed airtight container. Store for up to 6 months.
Combine salt, oregano, chile powder, and garlic powder in an airtight container. Store for up to 6 months.
Jackie’s “Taco” Seasoning Blend
Two tablespoons of this replaces one store-bought packet. I put “taco” in quotation marks because even though this is modeled after the popular spice packets, I use it in so much more than tacos.
Sea Salt Blend
Use this blend as an all-purpose seasoning. Use chile powder from either single varieties of chiles, or mix different chile varieties into your own custom blends.
Asada Seasoning Blend
Use
