Chile guajillo: characteristics, origin and how to use it

What is it?

Chile guajillo is the dried chile mirasol, one of the most consumed dried chillies in Mexico together with the ancho. With an elongated shape, bright red colour and smooth skin, it measures between 10 and 15 cm and provides a fruity flavour with a hint of acidity and moderate heat (2,500-5,000 Scoville units). It is grown above all in Zacatecas, Durango, San Luis Potosí and Aguascalientes, and is part of the landscape of the large chilli-drying yards of the Mexican Altiplano. It is a key ingredient in Jalisco birria, red pozole, meat adobos, red salsas, chilaquiles and many regional moles of central and northern Mexico.

Origin and history

The chile mirasol, which gives rise to the guajillo, was already known to Mesoamerican cultures. Its name comes from the Nahuatl because its fruits grow pointing upwards, looking at the sun. Colonial sources mention it among the everyday chillies of the highlands, and from the seventeenth century the custom of drying it in the sun for preservation was consolidated. Larousse Cocina notes that the guajillo is, alongside the ancho, the best-selling dried chilli in Mexico. In the Bajío and central-northern states, producers dry mirasols harvested ripe until the skin becomes translucent and crunchy. SIAP reports Zacatecas as the country's leading producer of dried chillies, with guajillo as the main variety. In Jalisco, guajillo became the backbone of the traditional birria of Cocula, a dish declared Gastronomic Heritage of the state.

Characteristic ingredients

Guajillo comes from the fresh chile mirasol, which is allowed to ripen to a deep red before being harvested and sun-dried for five to ten days. The dried pod is bright, with firm and crunchy skin, practically smooth, unlike the wrinkled ancho. There are different calibres: the common guajillo, the guajillo puya (smaller and spicier) and the large guajillo, called in some markets 'mirasol grande'. It provides flavour more of red fruits, a citrus hint and notes of green tea, with moderate heat of 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville units. Before use, it is de-veined, de-seeded and lightly toasted on a comal to avoid bitterness; afterwards it is rehydrated in hot water for between 10 and 15 minutes. Its thick skin requires prolonged blending and sometimes straining to obtain fine salsas. It combines very well with ancho, pasilla, tomato and spices such as cumin, cloves and oregano.

Cultural significance

Guajillo is one of the most consumed chillies in Mexico and is indispensable in emblematic dishes such as the beef and goat birria of Jalisco, the red pozole of Guerrero and Jalisco, the enchiladas potosinas, the carnitas adobos and the red salsas for tacos al pastor. It forms part of traditional Mexican cuisine inscribed by UNESCO as Intangible Cultural Heritage. Its production is strategic: Zacatecas is the country's largest producer of dried chilli, with guajillo at the top, generating thousands of rural jobs in the Altiplano. The large drying yards of Fresnillo, Calera and Villa de Cos form part of the state's cultural landscape. It is also the most exported dried chilli alongside the ancho, and appears in markets throughout Spanish America as an icon of Mexican cooking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between chile guajillo and chile ancho?

Guajillo comes from the chile mirasol and is elongated, with smooth and bright skin, with a fruity flavour and slight heat (2,500-5,000 SHU). Ancho comes from the dried poblano, is wider and wrinkled, with a sweet prune-like flavour and very little heat (1,000-2,000 SHU). They are usually combined in moles and adobos, because the ancho provides sweetness and body, and the guajillo provides bright red colour and a touch of heat.

What does chile guajillo taste like?

It has a fruity and slightly acidic flavour, with notes of red fruits, green tea, plum and a citrus touch. Its heat is moderate (2,500-5,000 Scoville units), comparable to fresh poblano. When lightly toasted on a comal it develops smoky aromas and caramelised sweetness that defines the flavour of birria and adobos.

What is chile guajillo used for?

It is the base of Jalisco birria, red pozole, enchiladas potosinas, adobos for carnitas and barbacoa, chorizo, red salsas for tacos and many regional moles. It also provides colour and flavour to chicken and beef marinades, soups such as caldo tlalpeño and table salsas. It is usually combined with chile ancho, tomato, garlic and spices.

Where does chile guajillo originate?

The chile mirasol from which it comes is native to Mesoamerica and is cultivated especially in the Mexican Altiplano. Today the main producing area for dried guajillo is Zacatecas, followed by Durango, San Luis Potosí and Aguascalientes. It is the most cultivated dried chilli in Mexico according to SIAP and an identifying ingredient of the cuisines of the Bajío and the west, especially Jalisco.