Chipotle Chilli Pepper
What are Chipotle chilli peppers?
One of our favourite peppers, the humble jalapeno, is taken to the next level through the drying and smoking process which turns them into chipotle peppers. The strong smoky flavour brings the sensation of outdoor cooking to every meal.
What do Chipotle chillies taste like?
Chipotle chillies, like the jalapenos they're made from, are quite mild. The peppers are allowed to ripen longer than most jalapenos which lets them grow sweeter. The peppers are smoked which adds a rich flavour dimension. The overall flavour profile is a mild heat which carries the strong smoke flavour before the sweetness comes in at the end.
What are Chipotle chillies used for?
Chipotle chillies are used in a large variety of Mexican, southwestern and Tex-Mex cooking in the Americas. It's common to add a bit of chipotle into mayonnaise or ketchup to make a spicier dipping sauce. Chipotle has become increasingly popular in hot sauces in recent years also.
Chipotle can be used anywhere chilli flakes would be such as sprinkled onto eggs or stirred through soups and stews. It's also common in marinades and rubs, it brings a lot of sugar to a blend which helps to develop a rich caramelised crust. Mix it with other spices and some oil then rub into your veg or meat for an excellent taco filling.
Chipotle recipes
Chipotle chickpeas with aubergine & pitta
Spicy chipotle vegetarian three bean chilli
Names and origins
Chipotle chillies are produced from Jalapenos, which originate from the Mexican city Xalapa. "Jalapeno" is the Spanish for "from Xalapa". The word chipotle comes from the indigenous Mexican language Nahuatl, the word chīlpoctli meaning "smoked chili".
The smoking of chipotles is believed to date back centuries to before the Aztecs, as a way to preserve the peppers. They are thought to be among the first type of peppers brought back during the Columbian exchange due to their preserved nature.
Most Chipotle peppers are still produced in Mexico today, which is also the largest consumer with over 7kg of chipotle eaten per person each year!