What Are Pequin Peppers

Pequin Chile Peppers (pronounced “puh-KEEN”), botanically classified as Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum, are on the higher end of the hot chile peppers, measuring 30,000-60,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). This small, vibrant red chile is closely related to Chiltepin chiles. Pequin peppers are listed as an ingredient in Cholula hot sauce. They are called Pequin peppers or chile Pequin interchangeably, both when they are fresh and when they are dried.

All About Pequin Peppers

Pequin peppers are native to southeastern Mexico and are most likely related to the very first chiles, which originated in the mountains of Bolivia 10,000 years ago. Today they are found growing from Central America up into the lower United States. 

You are likely here because you have heard of Pequin peppers but aren’t sure if they are the chiles you need. We are here to help. 

We’ve been sourcing, processing, and selling Mexican dried chiles for more than ten years to Mexican restaurants, small-batch hot sauce manufacturers, and micro-breweries. 

We know Pequin chile peppers, and this article covers all the questions you need to know about this chile. You will learn when and how to use them, where to find them, what to look for when buying, and the differences between Pequin peppers and other chile peppers.
 

What Does Pequin Pepper Taste Like?

The Pequin pepper has a bright citrus taste and an earthy, nutty depth, accompanied by a burst of up-front heat that fades quickly. 

How Hot Are Pequin Peppers?

Pequin Peppers, with a Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) measurement of 30,000-60,000, are what we consider to be hot peppers. This is roughly eight times hotter than a jalapeno pepper. 

A spicy finishing oil that dresses up everything from salads to steak.

A traditional New Mexican dish that reflects the influence of two famous Mexican chiles.

Cooking With Pequin Peppers

Pequin chile peppers flavor bean dishes, ceviche, chilis, hot sauces, noodles, rice, soups, and stews. They are ideal for sautéing, simmering, and stir-frying. You can crush the dried chiles and sprinkle them on cooked meats, pasta, pizza, homemade salsas, and any Latin dishes that need a spicy kick. 

Add a couple of these smaller peppers to your Mexican moles for a big, zingy flavor.

We love this Spicy Pequin Oil and have used it on everything from pasta to salads. We also used them in this Carne Adovada, a traditional New Mexican dish.

Pequin chile peppers pair well with mild cheeses, which give the flavor a chance to shine. It’s beautiful with meats such as beef, chicken, fish, and pork and also goes well with corn, garlic, legumes, lime, onions, potatoes, and tomatoes.
 

How to Toast Pequin Peppers

Pequin peppers take relatively little effort to use. They are small and thin-skinned, so they toast quickly and can either be rehydrated into a puree or paste or ground into a powder. 

We recommend wearing gloves if you’re handling these peppers excessively since they are spicy. Do not touch your face or eyes; wash your hands thoroughly after working with spicy peppers.

To toast Pequin peppers, follow these steps:

1. Warm up a dry pan or skillet over medium-high heat and, when ready, put the Pequin chiles in the pan.
2. Toast the chiles in the dry pan for 30 to 45 seconds, stirring the whole time. When the skins start to blister and turn a dark crimson-brown color, and the aromas of the chiles start to rise, the chiles are done.
3. Remove from the heat.

You can now proceed to either soaking or grinding.

How to Soak Pequin Peppers

Once you complete the toasting of the Pequin chiles, you can follow these steps to rehydrate Pequin peppers: 

1. Remove from the pan and place them in a heat-proof bowl.
2. Cover the Pequin chiles with boiling water and let them sit for 10 minutes. Chiles should be completely submerged during the entire soaking time. Weigh the chiles down with a bowl or plate if necessary.
3. Drain the chile peppers and discard the soaking water since it will be hot and bitter.
4. Once these steps have been completed, chop the peppers into smaller chunks or mash them into a paste.

How to Grind Pequin Peppers

After toasting the Pequin chiles, you can follow these easy steps to grind Pequin peppers into powder:  

1. After toasting, remove from the pan. Allow them to cool enough to handle.
2. When chiles are cool, place them in a mortar and pestle or electric spice grinder. Grind to desired consistency. Use immediately or store in an air-tight container, away from heat and direct sunlight.

Pequin Chile Substitute

The Chiltepin chile is a good substitute for the Pequin pepper (50,000-100,000 SHU). They share a similar flavor profile but only use about half as much Chiltepin to start since they are nearly twice as hot as the Pequin.  

Where Do Pequin Peppers Originate?

Pequin peppers originated in the Mexican state of Tabasco, along the southeastern coast, bordered by the Gulf of Mexico. Tabasco is located right at the throat of the Yucatan peninsula.

This pepper has spread prolifically; not only can the Pequin be found growing all the way northward through Mexico and into Texas and New Mexico, but it is also grown throughout most of the countries of Central America.

Pequin Peppers vs Chiltepin Chiles

Pequin peppers are often confused with Chiltepin peppers, another disarmingly small chile. This is understandable given that they are both small, red chile peppers. But these are very different dried peppers. 

Pequin chiles are small and oval-shaped, tapering to a point. Chiltepin chiles are smaller, about half the size of the Pequin, and round like a berry. 

Chiltepins have a SHU of 50,000-100,000, which is about twice as hot as the Pequin 30,000-60,000 SHU.

The flavor of Pequin chiles is earthy and nutty, with hints of citrus and a burst of up-front heat that fades quickly. Chiltepin chiles are earthy, sharp, and mildly smoky.
 

What to Look for When Buying Pequin Peppers

When buying Pequin peppers, look for peppers that are a bit pliable. Avoid peppers that are very soft as that would indicate improper drying. It would help if you also stayed away from excessively dry, brittle, and broken chiles as they are likely older and will lack ideal flavor.

Where to Buy Chile Pequin

You can buy Pequin peppers in Mexican markets, grocery stores, and at various online retailers. All shopping environments have unique plusses and minuses. 

You’ll usually find the staff knowledgeable about their dried chile peppers when buying from a Mexican market. These shops tend to be smaller, so they don’t have as much clout when buying their peppers wholesale. This results in higher prices. Slower moving inventory can also make it challenging to know the age of a chile, which can impact its flavor.

National grocery store chains can command better wholesale market prices. But the purchasing departments at grocery store chains are typically more concerned with getting the lowest price. This can lead to poorer quality and mislabeled chiles, especially if they are close in their appearance to other chiles. 

When buying dried chiles online, consider your retail source. Big-box online vendors offer convenience and often free shipping for members. Typically they are merely acting as a fulfillment center for a smaller company; they are certainly not experts in dried chiles. This means little oversight regarding the quality or integrity of a product at the point of sale.

Online specialty shops usually have a good selection. They are more likely to have the dried pepper expertise and know the difference between Pequin peppers and Chiltepin chiles.

Trustworthy shops also use procedures that guarantee their orders are filled correctly.  Well-run businesses have little turnover, which leads to a more knowledgeable staff, so there is a familiarity with products down the line, which will allow customers to get the chiles they want and need. 

Pequin peppers are easy to prepare and use and deliver a terrific, spicy kick and a mellow flavor to salsas, chilis, hot sauces, and fun condiments like infused oil. Get your hands on this fiery little powerhouse and boost your kitchen’s heat, fun, and flavor.

Mexican dried chiles have influenced food around the world for hundreds of years. Take a look at Mexico’s peppers and start making a spicy impact in your kitchen, too.