Chile ancho: what it is, history and uses in Mexican cooking

What is it?

Chile ancho is the ripe, dehydrated poblano chilli, one of the most consumed dried varieties in Mexico. It is recognised by its wide triangular shape, its dark, wine-tinged red colour and a wrinkled skin that becomes flexible when hydrated. It belongs to the species Capsicum annuum and is grown mainly in Puebla, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosi. Its heat is low (1000-2000 Scoville units) and it stands out for its sweet, fruity and slightly smoky notes, with hints of prune, coffee and chocolate. It appears in moles, adobos, red salsas, pipianes and fillings, and is one of the most important dried chillies of everyday and festive Mexican cooking.

Origin and history

The poblano chilli from which the ancho comes was domesticated in Mesoamerica more than 6,000 years ago. Colonial sources such as the Florentine Codex of Friar Bernardino de Sahagun already describe the use of various dried chillies in Mexica cooking, where they were ground in a metate to make primitive moles. After the Conquest, sun-drying remained the main way to preserve the poblano for use throughout the year, since the fresh harvest is seasonal. In the Bajio and the Puebla area, the custom of drying the ripe red fruits to obtain the ancho became established, distinct from the mulato (darker) which comes from the same plant. Larousse Cocina ranks the ancho as the most used dried chilli in Mexican homes, and SADER includes it among the country's emblematic chillies. Today it is a key piece of 17th-century mole poblano and of the traditional adobos of central and northern Mexico.

Characteristic ingredients

When the fresh poblano ripens and turns an intense red, it is harvested and dehydrated in the sun for several days until it loses moisture and acquires a dark red colour. The skin ends up wrinkled but flexible, and if broken it smells of dried fruit. It should not be confused with the mulato chilli, which comes from a genetically distinct variety of the same poblano and is darker and more chocolatey. The ancho measures between 8 and 12 cm long and 5-7 cm at the base. Before use, the chillies are deveined and deseeded, lightly toasted on a comal (without burning them to avoid bitterness) and hydrated in hot water for about 15-20 minutes. The pulp is then blended with broth, spices or tomato. Its low heat (1000-2000 SHU) means it adds body, colour and sweetness without aggression, which is why it is the base of moles where it is combined with guajillo, pasilla, mulato and chipotle.

Cultural significance

Chile ancho is one of the pillars of Mexican cooking recognised by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity since 2010. Without it there would be no mole poblano, an emblematic dish at festivities such as the Day of the Dead, weddings and christenings in Puebla, Tlaxcala and central Mexico. It generates significant economic activity: according to SADER and SIAP, Mexico is the world's leading producer of dried chillies, with Zacatecas and Aguascalientes leading ancho production. In the traditional markets (La Merced in Mexico City, El Parian in Puebla) chile ancho is sold loose and by the kilo, and family producers still dry it in the sun. Its use links regions as diverse as the centre, the Bajio and the north, where it appears in carnitas adobos, wedding roasts and traditional birrias. It is, alongside the guajillo, the most exported dried chilli to the United States.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between chile ancho and chile mulato?

Both come from the dried poblano chilli, but the ancho derives from a variety that, when dried, takes on a dark red colour and a fruity, prune-like flavour, while the mulato comes from a genetically distinct variety of the same poblano and ends up darker, almost black, with notes of chocolate and coffee. They are distinguished against the light: the ancho lets reddish light through and the mulato is opaque.

What does chile ancho taste like?

It adds a sweet, fruity flavour, with notes of prune, raisins, mild tobacco, coffee and bitter chocolate. Its heat is very low (1000-2000 Scoville units), below the jalapeno, which allows it to be used in large quantities without becoming spicy. When lightly toasted it develops smoky aromas and a caramelised sweetness.

How is chile ancho prepared?

It is deveined and deseeded, briefly toasted on a hot comal without burning it and hydrated in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes until flexible. It is then blended with broth, garlic, tomato or spices to form the base of moles, adobos, pipianes and red salsas. It can also be stuffed cold as in the recipe for stuffed chiles anchos.

Where does chile ancho come from?

The poblano from which it comes is native to the state of Puebla, in central Mexico, where it has been cultivated since pre-Hispanic times. Today ancho production is concentrated in Puebla, Zacatecas, Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosi. It is one of the most representative chillies of the Mexican Altiplano and the base of traditional moles and adobos of central Mexico.