The most commonly used dried chile in Mexico, the Ancho Chile is actually a dried Poblano pepper. Poblano translates to “people chile” and is a mild chile native to the Mexican State of Puebla. The dried poblano is called chile ancho which translates to “wide chile”. Poblanos are from the species Capsicum Annum.
Key to Authentic Mexican Cuisine
The Dried Ancho Chile is a key chile in the famous “holy trinity” of Mexican chiles used in Mexican moles along with the Pasilla Negro and the Mulato chiles. As they both come from Poblano chiles, Mulato chiles are closely related to the Ancho chile but the flavor profile is different as they are picked and dried at different times.
The staple chile in authentic Mexican cooking, Anchos are a critical ingredient in red chili, tamales, many moles, enchiladas, salsa, soups and any sauce that may need some extra mild heat. You can add them directly to your recipes – sliced, diced or pureed. The whole dried pod can be ground in a blender (with or without the seeds, depending on your heat tolerance) or you may want to skip the work and order our popular Ancho Chili Powder or Ancho Flakes instead. If you want to impart an authentic Mexican flavor to your food, use our whole pods for flavor.