Whole Ancho Chili Pepper

Whole ancho chili peppers are used to create flavorful sauces, stews, and soups, and can also be rehydrated, stuffed, or ground into a powder for rubs and marinades. They have a mild heat and a flavor profile with notes of plum, raisin, and tobacco, making them a staple in Mexican and Southwest cuisines, particularly in dishes like mole and enchiladas.  

Preparation

Rehydrate:

Soak whole dried ancho peppers in hot water for 20-30 minutes until they become soft. 

Toast:

For enhanced flavor, lightly toast the dried chilies in a dry pan before rehydrating them. 

Cooking and flavor

Sauces:

Blend rehydrated peppers with other ingredients to form the base for salsas, enchilada sauces, and richer sauces like mole. 

Stews and soups:

Add whole rehydrated or chopped chilies to soups and stews to add depth of flavor, such as in pozole or menudo rojo. 

Rubs and marinades:

Grind dried ancho peppers into a powder to create a flavorful rub or marinade for meats, poultry, or seafood. 

Stuffing:

Use the rehydrated peppers to stuff with various fillings and then fry or bake them. 

Flavor enhancer:

A small amount of ground ancho can be added to other dishes like scrambled eggs or even enhance chocolate-based desserts. 

Flavor profile

Flavor: Sweet and fruity with undertones of plum, raisin, and tobacco.

Heat: Mild, with a heat level of 1,000–1,500 Scoville Heat Units.