A chipotle ( , ), or chilpotle, is a smoke-dried ripe jalapeño chili pepper used for seasoning. It is a chili used primarily in Mexican cuisine, such as Tex-Mex cuisine and Southwestern United States dishes. It comes in different forms, such as chipotles en adobo (stewed in adobo sauce).
Smoking is a common technique of food preservation that provides a distinctive aroma and flavor and is traditionally carried out in a field open-oven. The smoking process can affect structural, chemical and nutritional properties of food. Furthermore, the type of wood used in the smoking process impacts the resulting smoked food. The smoking of jalapeños dates back centuries and was mainly used by the Aztecs, who are thought to have preserved the chilis by smoking them, a process they also used on meats. Chipotle production involves using firewood to dry and smoke the red jalapeño for six days in an open-smoker installation. The temperature is maintained between 65 and 75 °C, using mainly pecan wood.
Traditionally, the peppers are moved to a closed smoking chamber and spread on racks. Wood is put in a firebox, and the smoke enters the sealed chamber. Every few hours, the jalapeños are stirred to mix in the smoke. They are smoked for several days until most of the moisture is removed. The moisture within the red jalapeño peppers slightly decreases from 88% to 81% during the first three days, but by the end of the drying process, the moisture level reaches a final value of 6%. In the end, the chipotles are dried and shriveled like prunes or raisins. The underlying heat of the jalapeños combines with the taste of smoke, forming a flavor distinctive to chipotle peppers. Typically, ten pounds of jalapeños make one pound of chipotles after thoroughly drying. In recent years, some commercial producers have begun using large gas dryers and artificial smoke flavoring, which expedites the drying process but produces a less flavorful chipotle.
Other chilis can be smoked and dried for chipotle pepper, such as the bell pepper or serrano pepper variety, but smoked red jalapeños are most commonly used.
Most chipotle meco never make it across the Mexican border, although they can occasionally be found for sale in Mexican specialty markets.
Chipotle grande is a smoke-dried Huachinango chili with a similar flavor profile; however, the chili is larger and higher in cost. Sold fresh at the market, this variation of the chipotle pepper will typically sell for three to four times as much as jalapeño.
Many pair this spice with annatto, cumin, ginger, oregano and tomato powder. Additionally, it is commonly paired with traditional dishes such as bean soup, pimento cheese, tomatillo salsa, fish tacos, and grilled flank steak.
Canned adobo sauce is the most common form in the United States, though its marinade or food preservative form originated in Spain. The marinade typically contains various spices, herbs, and vegetables, including tomatoes, onions, powdered dried chilis, garlic, and vinegar. Chipocludo, a term for preserving chipotles practiced in Central Mexico, refers to conservation in a jar of brown sugar and vinegar marinade. En adobo or chipotles adobado are denominations for seasoned canned chipotles in sauce.
Chipotles are spicy and have a distinctive smoky flavor. The flesh is thick, so the chilis are usually used in a Simmering dish rather than raw. They can also be lightly toasted on a dry comal or skillet until they are fragrant and slightly swell. When overcooked, they can be very bitter. For some traditional Mexican sauces, the toasted chilis would be sautéed in oil or lard before being pureed. The chilis can also be soaked in warm water or stock until they become pliable and then can be added to a dish. The different forms of chipotle can be added to soups, stews, and in the braising liquid for meat. They can also accompany beans, pickled vegetable mixes, scrambled eggs, or chilaquiles. They can also be stuffed, baked, and added to cake or brownies.
Nutritional value
+ ! colspan="2" | Nutritional data per 100 g (3.5 oz) |
Energy | 1355 kj / 324 kcal |
Carbohydrates | 69.86 g |
Sugars | 41.06 g |
Fiber | 28.7 g |
Fat | 4.36 g |
Protein | 10.58 g |
Vitamins | |
Vitamin A, IU | 26488 IU |
Vitamin A, RAE | 1324 msg_RAE |
Vitamin B (folate) | 51 mcg |
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 8.669 mg |
Vitamin B6 | 0.810 mg |
Vitamin C (total ascorbic acid) | 31.4 mg |
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 3.14 mg |
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 108.2 mcg |
Minerals | |
Calcium | 45 mg |
Copper | 0.228 mg |
Iron | 6.04 mg |
Magnesium | 88 mg |
Manganese | 0.821 mg |
Phosphorus | 159 mg |
Potassium | 1870 mg |
Sodium | 91 mg |
Zinc | 1.02 mg |
Other constituents | |
Water | 7.15 g |
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