Pasilla de Oaxaca Chiles

Pasilla de Oaxaca, Capsicum annuum, is pronounced “Pah-SEE-yah day Waa-HAAK-kah”, this chile is not well known in the US but it's gaining in popularity among chefs and serious chile heads who enjoy its deep, smoky flavor. While we in the US are much more familiar with chipotle chiles (smoked jalapenos) the Pasilla de Oaxaca possesses a bit less heat than the chipotle but twice the smokiness. One of many Mexican chiles that is known as one thing when fresh and another when dried, when fresh this is known in the Oaxaca region as chile mije. Pasilla de Oaxaca is closely related to the Pasilla Negro chile (known as the chilaca chile when fresh).

There are approximately 6 Pasilla de Oaxaca chiles per ounce.

Oaxacan Chiles

Oaxaca is home to one of the world's most diverse collections of chiles. The state of Oaxaca is located in the south of Mexico, bordered by the states of Chipas (to its east), Guerrero (to the west), Puebla (northwest) and Veracruz (northeast) and the Pacific Ocean to the south. While representing less than 5% of Mexico's total land mass, Oaxaca covers more than 36,000 square miles. Oaxaca is known for three mountain ranges converging together (Sierra Atravesada, Sierra Madre de Oaxaca and Sierra Madre del Sur. While Oaxaca has one of the most rugged terrains in all of Mexico throughout the mountain ranges are numerous narrow valleys, canyons and ravines that grown some of the finest chiles in the world.

Some of the better known of these hard to find chiles are Chilhuacle Negro (a very sweet and smoky flavor) may be one of the best known of these rare chiles because of their use in mole negro, one of the most popular Oaxacan dishes. Chilhuacle Rojo, or red Chilhuacles, are used in mole coloradito. Chilhuacle Amarillo (sweet citrus like flavor), or yellow Chilhuacles, are really rare and used to make mole amarillo. Chile de Agua is another very rare chile that is often stuffed with a pork hash and it also used in salsa, mole sauces and dried into a powder and added to seasoning blends. Taviche chiles are often paired by Oaxacan chefs with goat cheese and portabella mushrooms.

Cultivation

When growing fresh the Pasilla de Oaxaca cultivar has green stems, green leaves, and white flowers that produces good yields of chiles that taper from 1-1/2” at the top down to a little less than 1” at the bottom and are 4”-5" long. These chiles mature from green to a shiny dark chocolate brown to deep reddish mahogany in color. Total maturation time is approximately 100 days.

Oaxaca is a Mexican state situated at the junction of the grand Sierras, on the central plateau where the valley of the same name is found. It’s an agricultural region that’s been inhabited for thousands of years. The highest plateaus can reach over 6,500 feet above sea level. The chiles of the area are grown in small pockets nestled in the misty rainforests sprawled on the plateau’s summit.

Before being harvested, the chiles are partially dried on the vine. They are then fully dried and smoked in large, traditional ovens by placing them over a very low heat for several days. It’s there that the chiles begin to take on their distinctly delicate smoky flavor.

Traditionally these chiles are grown, harvested and transported to market by the area’s indigenous Mixtec and Zapotec Indians.

Depending on that year’s growing season the chiles are transported down the mountains by horseback in early November. It’s an arduous journey as the roads are very winding and narrow at the higher elevations and the entire trip takes many days.

Where and How to Use

Pasilla de Oaxaca is popular in vegetarian dishes with a rich smokiness that brings out a bacony ham flavor without the actual fatty meat. Also used in some of the famous Oaxacan moles”, Latin style bean dishes, salsas, sauces, soups and in a regional favorite -- chile rellenos.

It is best to soften your dried Pasilla Oaxaca before using. For optimum flavor we also like to toast them in a hot skillet until their smoky aroma is released and fills the air. Then to reconstitute your chiles -- completely submerge with hot water, cover and let sit for about 20 minutes. Then drain and rinse under cold water. You can then split them open, remove the seeds and, if you are making chile rellenos, stuff them or you can cut them into smaller pieces, add to your blender with enough liquid to make a paste and add them to a sauce.

If you haven’t used a Pasilla de Oaxaca Chile before we recommend using a bit less than a recipe calls for the first time so that you can better gauge the heat (you can always add more or less next time) and flavor. If you find that you’ve used too much you can also add some pureed tomatoes to mute the heat a bit.

One of our favorite recipes using the Oaxaca Chile is Oaxacan Tlayuda a Mexican style pizza and we’ve also used them to create an unforgettable mac and cheese. When using them in making beans from scratch or a soup we like to use them in the same manner as bay leaves just drop one into the pot and remove before serving.

Heat

The Pasilla de Oaxaca is considered a medium heat chile and comes in at 4,000 to 10,000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units).

Flavor Profile

The skin is thin and the flavor profile is best described as a sharp smoky flavor with hints of tobacco and a biting heat that lingers.

Substitutions

If you need a substitute for a recipe that calls for Pasilla Oaxaca you can use a Chipotle Meco (brown Chipotle), a Chipotle Morita or Chipotle in Adobo Sauce.