Chipotle Chile Pods

Chipotle Chile Pods

Chipotle Chile Pods—the dried, smoked fruits of the mature jalapeno—are famous for their full-bodied, smoky flavor, with notes of chocolate and tobacco. Classified as a medium hot chile, they pack in excess of 10,000 Scoville units, depending on how they are grown and prepared. The complexity of their flavor makes ordinary salsas, soups, stews, egg dishes and marinades extraordinary. Chipotle pieces even turn up in cakes and brownies. The rehydrated pods also serve as zesty holders for various rice, grain and meat stuffing. The pods require a light pan-toasting before use, whether they end up as ground spice or as rehydrated pieces of pepper.

The culinary odyssey begins mainly in Mexico, as a portion of the jalapeno crop (named for the Mexican town of Jalapa) sits in the sun until red. Growers harvest green jalapenos earlier in the season, for sale as fresh chiles. Once harvested, the mature red peppers undergo smoking. Two different types of chipotle pods will result. One will become the “meco,” a large jalapeno smoked for a long time. Our pods are “moritas,” a smaller chile smoked for a short time, to retain more of the original fruity flavor. When Spanish explorers landed in Mexico, the Aztecs—well versed in food preservation techniques—had been smoke-curing jalapenos for generations. With its thick flesh, the jalapeno would often rot before drying completely. Smoking solved that problem, while also enhancing the taste of the final product.

Like all dried chiles, the chipotle pod retains significant percentages of Vitamins A, B6 and C, as well as such essential minerals as copper and potassium. It is packed with disease-busting antioxidants, including capsaicin.

We sell our chipotle chile pods in bulk. Wholesale buyers may prefer our 25-pound case. For individual shoppers, we offer 1-pound and 5-pound bags.