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Ancho Chile
Ancho Chiles (pronounced "AHN CHo"), Capsicum Annuum, are also referred to as chile ancho, ancho chili, and ancho pepper. Known as Poblano chiles when in their fresh state, this mild chile is native to the Mexican State of Puebla. In their native region when dried they are called chile ancho which translates to "wide chile". The dried Ancho chile has a more intense flavor profile than the poblano and has been a key ingredient in Puebla cuisine for thousands of years.There are typically 2 Ancho Chiles per ounce.
What is an Ancho Chile
Ancho Chiles are the most commonly used dried chile in Mexican cuisine and are one of the famous "holy trinity" of chiles used in Mexican moles, along with the Pasilla Negro Chiles and the Guajillo Chiles. This heart shaped dried pepper is about 3" wide and 4" in length and tapers to a point. They are a deep, reddish brown to black in color and the texture is wrinkled. A top grade Ancho should be clean, pliable, untorn and aromatic with a smell that is a bit like prunes.History of Poblano Chiles
These chiles are native to the Puebla Valley, a fertile region that can be found southwest of Mexico City. Puebla City, Mexico’s fourth-largest city, was established ex nihilo—“out of nothing”—by Spain in 1531, after the Spanish monarchy had recommended that their colonizers not overrun established indigenous settlements but rather, build on previously unclaimed territory. Once Puebla City—or in its first official naming, Puebla de los Ángeles—was established, it was quickly recognized as a significant cultural and strategic center. Located roughly mid-way between Mexico City and Veracruz, Puebla became a convenient stop for travelers and an important trading post. Puebla lies at the foot of the volcano Popocatépetl, and the soil of this region is rich with volcanic minerals. Agriculture as industry expanded after the Spanish conquest, and eventually fueled the national spread of the Ancho Chile.
The Ancho, and its parent chile, the poblano, can be found in two signature dishes that have roots squarely in Puebla. The Mexican War of Independence lasted for more than a decade and finally, in 1821, the Mexican General Agustin de Iturbide signed the Treaty of Cordoba in Veracruz. This secured Mexican independence from Spanish rule and brought the war to an end. After the signing, he stopped in Puebla on his way back to Mexico City, where nuns from the Santa Monica convent presented him with chiles en nogada, a dish created in his honor. The green poblanos, topped with a white walnut sauce and red pomegranate seeds, paid tribute to the newly-created Mexican flag.
The other Puebla-associated dish, mole poblano, has an even murkier history. A complex combination of ground chiles, nuts, tomatoes, chocolate, and sweet spices like Cinnamon and Cloves. Legend credits its invention to a 16th- or 17th-century Dominican nun, Sor Andrea de la Asuncion, in Puebla’s Santa Rosa convent. Sor Andrea was charged with the responsibility of creating a special dish in honor of a visiting archbishop; initially lost for inspiration, she prayed for divine guidance and then directed her kitchen staff to combine everything in the kitchen and hope for the best. This is a terrific story, though it’s likely that mole existed long before the Spaniards came to Mexico.
In Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, molli means “smashed” or “pureed”; you can still see this in evidence elsewhere, like the -mole part of the word “guacamole”. What is likely is that Aztec cooks had already created a pureed sauce with local ingredients like chocolate and peanuts. With the advent of Spanish crops—and spices, hence, things like cinnamon and clove—and a surprising similarity in the Spanish verb moler, “to grind”, mole became a literal melting pot of old and new cultures in Mexico.
The Mexican Revolution ended in 1920 after 10 years of brutal fighting and Mexico’s new leadership wanted to help heal a war-torn country. They wanted to promote the idea of one country, one people, a country of mestizaje, people who embodied the fusion between indigenous heritage and colonial influence. Mole, which reflects a wide range of cultural influences, was used as a tool to unify the country. It was promoted as the dish that spoke for the people, and it was an easy banner to wave, since different regions have different moles that reflected the various influences of the region and had been woven into cultural fabric in the 500 years that had passed since the Spanish occupation. And thus mole, and the Ancho Chiles that are indispensable to a good mole, became Mexico’s national dish and catapulted Ancho Chiles into the forefront as Mexico’s most popular chile.
Cultivation
Poblano chile plants usually grow between 2-3 feet tall, and are surprisingly heavy for their size, often needing to be staked up to prevent the fruit from sogging into the ground. They germinate from seed in soil that can maintain a steady temperature of 65°F, and it takes about 50 days for these plants to flower once the seeds are sown, and another 50-60 days from flowering to produce harvest-ready peppers. These subtropical plants do best when nighttime temperatures do not dip below 65°F, and daytime temperatures range between 75-80°F.These plants do best in full sunlight and loamy soil with good drainage. They want enough water to stay damp, without becoming waterlogged. Overwatered plants will often express their dilemma with withered, wilted leaves and stunted pepper growth, since roots are struggling to extract nutrients from the soil. Healthy poblano plants can be harvested several times during its growing season and one plant can produce around 3 pounds, or 18-20 chiles each.
Unripe chiles are grassy green; as they ripen they change to yellow, and then to red. Poblanos are picked while they are still green, while those designated as Anchos remain on the plant to reach full, berry-red maturity. Once harvested, chiles are laid on well-ventilated oak mats and left to dry in direct sunlight. They are flipped at three-day intervals to ensure they are drying evenly. After 15-30 days, chiles should be wrinkly and deep, mahogany red, and feel somewhat leathery. They are then sorted and graded; "Primero" is the highest grade ancho, with a ripe, full berry flavor. "Mediano" is the medium grade ancho, which isn’t as sweet and tends to be a bit hotter than the primero. "Ancho" is the standard grade pepper.
Where are Our Ancho Chiles From
Depending on the time of year our Ancho Chiles may come from either Mexico or the United States.What do Ancho Chiles Taste Like
Ancho Chiles have a mild fruity flavor with undertones of plum, raisin, tobacco and a slight earthy bitterness.How Hot are Ancho Chiles
This is considered a medium heat chile at between 500-1500 SHU (the Scoville Heat Units).How to Use Ancho Chiles
The staple chile in authentic Mexican cooking, Ancho peppers are a critical ingredient in red chili, tamales, many moles, enchiladas, salsa, soups and any sauce that may need some extra mild heat. You can add them directly to your recipes - sliced, diced or pureed. The whole dried pod can be ground in a blender (with or without the seeds, depending on your heat and flavor preferences) or you may want to skip the work and use our popular Ancho Chile Powder instead. If you want to impart an authentic Mexican flavor to your food, use whole Ancho chiles for optimal flavor.For more flavor, lightly toast Ancho Chiles in a hot pan for about 30 seconds per side, just until they start to blister. They can easily be re-hydrated by pouring hot water or broth over them and letting them sit for 10-20 minutes. Don't let them soak much longer than that, as they may become bitter. A puree of soaked Ancho chiles will be reddish brown in color with a rich, mild, almost sweet taste and slightly bitter undertones. We like to save the liquid from rehydrating as it absorbs the great flavor from the softened chiles. Use the liquid in the recipe at hand, or save it to lend flavor depth to braises, soups and stews.
Per ounce, Ancho chile provides more pulp than most dried chiles. The heat of the chile comes from the veins inside the pod and before rehydrating some cooks prefer to remove some or most of the seeds and veins as these lend more bitterness to the finished recipe.
Some of our favorite recipes using Dried Ancho Chiles are Pozole Rojo and Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas.
Ancho Chile Substitutions and Conversions
Substitutions for Ancho chiles are Pasilla or Guajillo Chiles.1 whole Ancho chile = 1 heaping tablespoon of ancho powder which is also equal to approximately 1/4 oz.
| Ingredients | Ancho chiles |
| Also Called | Chile ancho, ancho chili, and ancho pepper |
| Recommended Uses | Use in chili, enchiladas, moles, salsa, sauces and tortilla soup |
| Flavor Profile | Undertones of plum, raisin, tobacco and a slightly earthy bitterness |
| Scoville Heat Units | 1,000-1,500 SHU |
| Botanical Name | Capsicum Annuum |
| Cuisine | Mexican, American Southwest |
| How To Store | Airtight container in a cool, dark place |
| Shelf Life | 1-2 Years |
| Country of Origin | Mexico |
| Dietary Preferences | Gluten Free, Kosher, Non-GMO |
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