History of the Chipotle Morita Chile

Chiles are one of the oldest cultivated crops in the entirety of the Western Hemisphere. They were around long before the Aztecs, though these people used chiles in their cuisine and established and perfected methods of preservation to save the chiles from rotting in the hot sun that we still use today in the process of preserving chiles. Chile historians believe that jalapenos were one of the first chiles to be smoked because of their thick flesh, which tended to rot before it could dry fully in the sun like other chiles, meaning they needed a better method to preserve these delicious chiles. Thus, the chipotle was born, with a name that comes from the Nahuatl language word "chilpoctli," meaning smoked chile. The Nahuatl language was the language spoken by the Aztecs. The smoke-drying process they used was first used to preserve meats, but this translated nicely to the preservation of chiles for the Aztecs. As their empire rose, so did their economy and levels of import and export. Chiles were a prized item in trade routes, and they were common in ceremonies for the wealthy or upper-class people of the Aztec empire. Chipotles especially were used in a sauce that was served to the emperor on special occasions. The sauce was made up of chiles, tomatoes, nuts, pumpkin seeds, chocolate, and caramel, and it was used mostly on meats and seafood.

Most of the chipotle chiles found in the United States are of the Morita variety. They are the less smoky of the two types of chipotles, Morita and Meco. Chipotle flavor has found its way into barbecue sauces and other condiments including ranch! This chile is used to flavor potato chips and other similarly salty snacks, and as time progresses it just gets more and more common in the landscape of American cuisine.

Organic Chipotle Morita Chile Cultivation

Organic Jalapenos are the fresh chile from which we get Organic Chipotle Morita Chiles. The jalapenos are smoked in large pits in the ground, which have been fitted with racks made of various materials like wood or metal, and a tunnel connecting it to another pit where the fire is. The smoke travels through the tunnel into the pit where the jalapenos are. The pit where the chiles are is covered by a small shack or a structure to keep the smoke enclosed so it can circulate around the chiles evenly. The wood chosen for the smoking process is typically oak, hickory, pecan, or another fruit wood and there is usually a carefully chosen blend put together to achieve a distinct taste for the smoked chile. This smoking process can take weeks, especially in the case of the Chipotle Meco Chile, which is smoked for twice as long as the Chipotle Morita.

Fresh jalapenos are almost exclusively green, so those are picked before the chiles are fully ripe. The jalapenos used in making chipotle chiles can either be green, in the case of the Morita chile, or left on the vine until they are fully ripened and have turned red in color, as is the case with the Meco chile. These chiles have a unique color transformation, going from green to black to red, unlike other chiles that tend to follow a "green to yellow to red" color changing pattern. These plants love the direct sun, require organically rich soils, and need at least three feet between each individual plant to be productive, as they can sometimes grow too ambitiously and become tangled in other plants. They may grow up to three feet tall and three feet wide, and the chiles will be about 3 to 6 inches long when they've finished growing. They are a smaller chile, but the largest ones are the ones chosen to be made into Chipotle Moritas. The shorter ones are sold off as fresh jalapenos.

Where is it from?

Our Organic Chipotle Morita Chiles are from the United States.

What is a Chipotle?

The chipotle has become more popular in the United States over the last few years with the influx of Spanish-speaking immigrants and the interest in international foods skyrocketing. There are in fact two types of chipotles, the Morita and Meco. Both come from the same chile- the jalapeno. The only difference is that Mecos are smoked for twice as long as Moritas.

Cooking with Organic Chipotle Morita Chiles

Organic Chipotle Morita Chiles taste fantastic on beef, chicken, and pork chops, especially when made into a lovely sauce. To make this sauce, simply gather a few ingredients. You will need two of these chiles destemmed, a pound of diced tomatillos, and one or two cloves of garlic. Salt can be added to taste, but it is optional. Heat up your favorite cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once it's heated, add the chiles and wait for them to start popping and inflate a little, which should only take about two minutes. Don't cook them for much longer than that, as overcooking will make them taste bitter! Lower the heat to low, pour a small amount of water over the chiles, just enough to cover them, and allow them to soften and rehydrate a little bit. This should take about 20 to 30 minutes. While the chiles are rehydrating, heat another skillet over medium heat and add the tomatillo chunks. Wait until they've formed some distinctly brown marks and their skin is a little blistery and then transfer to a blender. At this point, your chiles have rehydrated enough and can be added to the same blender. Throw in your garlic, one or two cloves depending on how much you like garlic, and puree carefully and slowly, as the hot ingredients can explode out in a burst of pressure if blended too quickly. Add salt to taste if desired, but this sauce is tasty as is, as well.

Chiles in general have become global sensations, but chipotles are still uniquely Mexican and remain a part of authentic Mexican cuisine. Rehydrated, they can be used in everything from quesadillas to rice dishes, but dried they are incorporated into a common sauce called "Chipotle en Adobo," a staple of Mexican cooking. They are excellent in salsas, sauces, and stews, as well as spicy soups or dark soups, like black bean soup.

In addition to being delicious in Mexican food, chipotles are also great to be used in hearty comfort foods like macaroni and cheese or fried chicken. If you want to add even more heat to your dish, or you just like multiple chile flavors, try adding Organic Cayenne or Organic Crushed Red Pepper Flakes alongside the Organic Chipotle Morita Chile as these taste great with this chile!

What Does Organic Chipotle Morita Chile Taste Like?

Organic Chipotle Morita Chiles are somewhat smoky, and have a mild chocolatey flavor to them.

How Hot are Organic Chipotle Morita Chiles?

They have a heat range of 15,000 to 35,000 SHU, or Scoville Heat Units.

Substitutions and Conversions

One Organic Chipotle Morita Chile is roughly equivalent to one teaspoon of Chipotle Morita Chile Powder.

Read More

How Well Do You Know Your Chiles?
What is the Hot Pepper Scale?
You Might be a Chilehead...
Chipotle Morita Chiles