Ancho Chile Pods

Ancho Chiles

Christopher Columbus had few frames of reference upon sampling his first chile pepper in the New World. To describe the heat to folks back home, he likened it to that of the black peppercorn. Ever since then, Europeans, Americans and Canadians use the word “pepper” interchangeably with “chile” (the spelling preferred over “chili”), even though the two species are not remotely related.

The ancho started out as a poblano chile, named for its home state of Puebla, Mexico. Poblanos have relatively moderate levels of capsaicin, with the heat index rising to about 2,000 Scoville units as the pepper matures from green to red. By way of illustration, fiery habaneros typically run about 200,000 Scoville units. Only after drying does the mature poblano assume the name ancho, the Spanish word for “wide.” Anchos are only somewhat wide, with each pod measuring about 2-1/2″ wide by 4″ long.

Don’t confuse a moderate heat index with bland taste, because ancho chiles have a uniquely meaty, smoky flavor, with notes of raisins. It pairs beautifully with chocolate, cinnamon, cumin , corriander and fresh cilantro and is a key ingredient in mole sauce. The dried peppers can be ground into powder, chopped and added to salsa and other dishes, or reconstituted by soaking in water, after which they can be blended into a variety of stews, soups and sauces. A baked potato topped with ancho-flavored sour cream is a heavenly turn on an old standard.

The capsaicin in anchos is a well-known anti-inflammatory, helpful for respiratory congestion and arthritis. Other health benefits trace back to the ancho’s B vitamins, important for brain, neurological and cardiac function.

We sell our ancho chiles in bulk as dried, whole pods. Full cases are available for customers with high usage, and those with more moderate needs can enjoy the convenience of our one ro five pound bags.