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Organic Chipotle Morita Chile Powder
Chipotle chiles, no matter if they are of the “morita” or “meco” variety, all come from the same plant- the jalapeno or Capsicum annuum. The jalapeno is believed to be native to Veracruz, Mexico, a location where the chipotle is a prominent part of the cuisine today. In the United States the terminology “chipotle” has become pretty synonymous with the umbrella term “chile,” however this is inaccurate because there are only two true chipotles. It takes ten pounds of fresh jalapenos to make a single pound of dried chiles, which are shriveled, wrinkled, and a dry brownish-red or black color. Once ground, the powder retains its incredible coloring, lovely aroma, and wonderfully rich flavor.
“Little Blackberry” is the translation for the name of these chiles in Spanish, which is clever because the Chipotle Morita chile is often the smaller than the Chipotle Meco chile. The Morita is much more common in American cuisine and this is the flavor you probably think of when you think of “chipotle” if you are from the United States.
Contents Hide
- History of Organic Chipotle “Morita” Powder
- Organic Chipotle “Morita” Powder Cultivation
- Where is it from?
- Types of Chipotle Chile
- Cooking with Organic Chipotle “Morita” Powder
- What Does Organic Chipotle “Morita” Powder Taste Like?
- How Hot is Organic Chipotle “Morita” Powder?
- Substitutions and Conversions
- Read More
History of Organic Chipotle “Morita” Powder
The word chipotle comes from the Nahuatl word “chilpoctli,” which translates directly to “smoked chile.” While chiles were smoked by the Teotihuacan before the Aztecs, the method still used in traditional Mexican chile smoking practices was perfected by the Aztecs. They initially used this process to smoke and preserve meats of all sorts, but they quickly discovered that smoking and preserving other foods was possible as well. Chile historians believe that the Aztecs believed that jalapenos were one of the first smoked chiles due to their thick flesh that was much more quick to rot than other chiles that could dry in the sun more readily. Jalapenos, also called “chiles gordos” or “Lenten chiles” needed more help to dry, thus leading to the implementation of the smoking method.
It was a Spaish friar living in Mexico who was the first to write of chipotle chiles in the 1500s. He talked about a dish called “teatzin,” which was made with a sauce from chipotle and pasilla chiles that was used to make a stew with Lenten palm flowers and fresh jalapeno chiles. After the fall of the Aztec empire, also in the 1500s, smoked chiles were found mostly in the central and southern parts of Mexico, like Chiapas, Oaxaca, Puebla, and Veracruz.
Organic Chipotle “Morita” Powder Cultivation
The jalapeno plant grows up to 3 feet tall and has leaves that are roughly 3 inches long and 2 inches wide. The plant is a light to dark green color, and produces white flowers that eventually produce those familiar green jalapenos that measure up to 3 inches long. Typically it takes 70 to 80 days for the seed to turn into a fruiting plant. Jalapenos are harvested while they are still green to make Organic Chipotle Morita Chiles.
Once they have been removed from the plant, they are moved to a smoking chamber where they are settled onto racks and dried over a period of a few days. They are flipped or rotated every few hours to ensure even drying. There is a separate pit where wood is burned, and the smoke is funneled in through a tunnel connected to the drying bit for temperature and flavor control. The wood burned is usually a fruity wood and an oak blend to get a specific, sweet woodsy flavor in the smoke.
Where is it from?
Our Organic Chipotle Morita Chile Powder comes from chiles grown in the US.
Types of Chipotle Chile
There are two types of chipotle- the more common Morita and the harder to find Meco. Serious chile lovers and Mexican food connoisseurs are adamant that the Meco is a higher quality chile, as it is produced when the jalapeno is riper and smoked for longer, but the Morita chile is the most common chipotle in the USA. There are some differences between the two, including appearance. The Morita is small and dark colored, but it is also very pliable. The Meco is a more brittle chile and it is sometimes described as looking like a cigar butt. The Meco is much more popular in Southern Mexico and is sometimes called the “chile navideño” because it is used often in a popular Christmas time stuffed chile dishes.
Cooking with Organic Chipotle “Morita” Powder
This is truly the chile powder you want to use if you are looking to add a bit of smoky flavor to your dish without an overwhelming amount of heat. This powder is great in dry rubs intended for meat like beef, pork chops, or chicken. Organic Chipotle Morita Chile Powder is also great on vegetables, particularly potatoes, and goes excellently on homemade potato chips when paired with some salt and sprinkled over the chips while they are still hot and a bit greasy from the frying oil. Try it in your favorite Mexican dishes, or add it to soups, stews, and cheese-based dishes. We like to put it on enchiladas and fried chicken!
Some of our favorite recipes that incorporate conventional Chipotle Morita Powder that can be replaced with this organic version are Sweet Chipotle Mixed Nuts and El Gallito.
What Does Organic Chipotle “Morita” Powder Taste Like?
Organic Chipotle Morita Powder is smoky with a somewhat mild chocolatey flavor to it.
How Hot is Organic Chipotle “Morita” Powder?
Our Chipotle Morita Powder has a heat range of 15,000 to 35,000 Scoville Heat Units.
Substitutions and Conversions
One teaspoon of Chipotle Morita Powder is about the equivalent of one whole Organic Chipotle Morita Chile.
Read More
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