Chilhuacle negro: what it is, taste and uses in mole negro

What is it?

The chilhuacle negro is one of the rarest and most valuable chillies of Mexico. Endemic to the Cañada de Cuicatlán, in the north of Oaxaca, it is the soul of Oaxacan mole negro, considered one of the most complex moles in the world. It has a lantern shape, measures between 5 and 8 cm, has wrinkled skin and an almost black colour with purple and very dark brown reflections. It belongs to the species Capsicum annuum. Its Nahuatl name means 'old black chilli'. Its heat is low (1,500-3,000 Scoville units), but its aromatic profile is exceptional: dark chocolate, roasted coffee, liquorice, tobacco, dried fruit and an earthy hint. It is the aromatic and chromatic base of mole negro and chichilo negro, two of the seven traditional moles of Oaxaca. Its limited production makes it a chilli of high economic and cultural value.

Origin and history

The chilhuacle negro is one of the oldest chillies grown in the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Valley, in a semi-arid micro-region of northern Oaxaca with a human presence going back more than 7,000 years. The Cuicatec and Mazatec peoples have grown it for centuries as part of their traditional milpa. Larousse Cocina and Ricardo Muñoz Zurita's Diccionario Enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana identify it as an irreplaceable ingredient of Oaxacan mole negro. Mole negro forms part of traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010. CONABIO documents that the chilhuacle negro is at risk of genetic erosion: at the end of the 20th century its cultivation declined drastically and it is only maintained thanks to community efforts, programmes by INIFAP and SADER, and Oaxacan chefs who pay premium prices to preserve the crop. The Slow Food organisation included the chilhuacle in its Ark of Taste as an endangered product.

Characteristic ingredients

The chilhuacle negro is a Capsicum annuum endemic to the Cañada de Cuicatlán, a semi-arid micro-region with very specific climate and soil conditions. The fruits ripen to a very dark red and are sun-dried for several days until they reach a wine-black colour with brown reflections. The skin becomes wrinkled and its shape recalls a small lantern or pepper (5-8 cm). Its heat is low (1,500-3,000 SHU) but its aromatic profile is extremely complex: dark chocolate, roasted coffee, liquorice, tobacco, dried fruit and an earthy hint of damp soil. To use it, it is deveined, deseeded and toasted briefly on a comal (its dark skin requires great care to avoid burning it and making the salsa bitter). It is then rehydrated in hot water for about 15 minutes. It is blended with chilhuacle rojo, chilhuacle amarillo, chocolate, roasted dried chillies, nuts, plantain, spices and many other ingredients to prepare Oaxacan mole negro, considered one of the most sophisticated moles in the world. It is also the base of chichilo negro.

Cultural significance

The chilhuacle negro is one of the chillies with the greatest cultural and economic value in Mexico. It is an indispensable ingredient of Oaxacan mole negro, a ceremonial dish served at weddings, religious festivities and important family celebrations, considered the ultimate emblem of Oaxacan cuisine, recognised as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Its cultivation is concentrated exclusively in municipalities of the Cañada de Cuicatlán such as San Juan Bautista Cuicatlán, where it sustains the economy of small Cuicatec producers. SADER, INIFAP, CONABIO and Slow Food have driven conservation and fair-trade projects for the chilhuacle, warning of the risk of genetic erosion. Oaxacan chefs such as Celia Florián, Abigail Mendoza, Alejandro Ruiz and Olga Cabrera are reference points in its use. Its price in Oaxacan markets can be several times that of ancho or pasilla, making it a premium chilli reserved for festive preparations.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between chilhuacle negro and pasilla chilli?

Although both are dark dried chillies used in mole negro, they are distinct chillies. The chilhuacle negro is endemic to the Cañada de Cuicatlán, has a lantern shape (5-8 cm) and a complex flavour of chocolate, coffee, liquorice and tobacco; its production is very limited and its price high. The common pasilla is the dried chilaca chilli, elongated (15-20 cm), with a smoky herbal flavour, more widely available and economical. Both are used in traditional Oaxacan mole negro.

What does chilhuacle negro taste like?

It contributes an extraordinarily complex flavour with notes of dark chocolate, roasted coffee, liquorice, tobacco, dried fruit and an earthy hint. Its heat is low (1,500-3,000 Scoville units). Its aroma is persistent, almost balsamic, and defines the character of Oaxacan mole negro. When toasted briefly it develops notes of roasted cacao and deep caramel that no other chilli has.

Why is the chilhuacle negro endangered?

Its cultivation declined drastically in the 20th century due to the plant's low yield, rural migration, recurrent drought in the Cañada de Cuicatlán and pressure from cheaper industrial chillies. CONABIO and INIFAP classify it as at risk of genetic erosion. Slow Food included it in its Ark of Taste. Its conservation depends on community projects, seed conservation and fair prices that cover its limited artisanal production.

Where does chilhuacle negro come from?

It is endemic to the Cañada de Cuicatlán, in the north of Oaxaca. It is grown exclusively in municipalities such as San Juan Bautista Cuicatlán and neighbouring communities. The Cuicatec and Mazatec peoples have grown it for centuries as part of their traditional milpa. CONABIO recognises it as an endemic Mexican chilli and, together with SADER and INIFAP, drives conservation programmes.