Chile chipotle: the Mexican smoked jalapeño

What is it?

Chile chipotle is the ripe red jalapeño slowly smoked with wood, which gives it a deep flavour and a very characteristic smoky aroma. Its name comes from the Nahuatl 'chilpoctli', from 'chilli' (chilli) and 'poctli' (smoke). It has moderate heat (5,000-10,000 Scoville units), a colour that goes from reddish brown to beige depending on the type, and an elongated shape of 5 to 10 cm. There are two main commercial varieties: chipotle morita and chipotle meco. It is grown above all in Veracruz, Chihuahua and Puebla. It is the base of adobos, pickled chipotles, salsas, marinades and emblematic dishes such as Pueblan chicken tinga. It is one of the most internationally known Mexican chillies.

Origin and history

The smoking of chillies is a pre-Hispanic practice documented in the Florentine Codex of Fray Bernardino de Sahagún, where the 'chilpoctli' is mentioned as one of the products of the Tlatelolco market. Before the arrival of tomato and the refinement of modern salsas, the peoples of the Altiplano smoked ripe chillies in huts (adapted 'temazcales') to preserve them throughout the year. After the Conquest, smoking continued to be used in Puebla, Veracruz and the north of the country, where the use of mesquite and pecan as aromatic woods was incorporated. Larousse Cocina notes that chipotle became popular as an everyday ingredient during the nineteenth century, especially in its tinned adobo form, mass-marketed in the twentieth century. SADER recognises chipotle as one of the smoked chillies with the greatest economic and cultural relevance. Pueblan tinga, described in Pueblan recipe books of the nineteenth century, popularised the use of chipotle in adobo in home cooking.

Characteristic ingredients

Chipotle is obtained from chile jalapeño that is left to ripen on the plant until it turns bright red; it is then smoked in closed wood ovens for 1 to 5 days depending on the variety. There are two commercial forms: chipotle meco, large, beige or light brown, very dry and with an intense smoky aroma; and chipotle morita, smaller, purple-red, smoked for less time and with a fruitier flavour. Chipotle in adobo is also marketed, which is rehydrated and preserved in an adobo of tomato, vinegar, garlic, onion, piloncillo and spices. To use dried chipotle it is rehydrated in hot water for between 15 and 20 minutes and blended with tomato and spices. Its moderate heat (5,000-10,000 SHU) makes it versatile, and its characteristic smoky flavour distinguishes it from any other chilli. It combines very well with tomato, garlic, piloncillo, vinegar, beans, cheese and pork, chicken and beef.

Cultural significance

Chile chipotle is one of the most internationally recognised Mexican chillies and forms part of traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Pueblan chicken tinga, made with chipotle in adobo, is the most emblematic dish that uses it, and features in restaurants, fondas and homes throughout the country. The chipotle-in-adobo tinned industry, led by brands such as La Costeña, Herdez and San Marcos, has taken Mexican flavour to more than 70 countries and supports an important production chain in Veracruz and Sinaloa. SADER reports exports of smoked chillies with annual millionaire figures. In haute cuisine, chefs such as Patricia Quintana and Enrique Olvera have used chipotle to reinterpret moles and salsas. Its distinctive smoky flavour is one of the international emblems of Mexican cuisine.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between chipotle meco and chipotle morita?

Both are smoked jalapeños but they differ in smoking time and appearance. The meco is smoked for more days, is large (5-10 cm), dry and beige or light brown in colour, with a very smoky flavour. The morita is smoked less, measures 3-5 cm, retains a purple-red tone and turns out fruitier and sweeter. The meco is used for thick adobos and the morita for fresh salsas and everyday stews.

What does chile chipotle taste like?

It has an intense and smoky flavour, with notes of chocolate, coffee, plum and spices. Its heat is moderate (5,000-10,000 Scoville units), comparable to fresh jalapeño. The adobo version also provides acidity from the vinegar and sweetness from the piloncillo. It is one of the chillies with the most complex profile in Mexican cooking thanks to the prolonged smoking.

How is chipotle in adobo used?

It is used directly from the tin, blended or chopped. It is the base of chicken tinga, charro beans, meatballs in chipotle, marinated pork loin and many sauces for taquerías. It is also added to mayonnaise to prepare the popular 'chipotle mayonnaise', to marinades for grilled meats and to soups such as sweetcorn or bean cream. A small amount adds smoke and heat to almost any stew.

Where does chile chipotle originate?

The jalapeño from which it comes is native to Veracruz, especially the Xalapa region. Smoking to make chipotle is a pre-Hispanic technique of the Mexican Altiplano. Current production is concentrated in Veracruz, Chihuahua, Puebla and Oaxaca. The name 'chipotle' comes from the Nahuatl 'chilpoctli', that is, smoked chilli, attested as early as the sixteenth century by New Spanish chronicles.