Pronounced "Ahn-cho", the ancho chile pepper is the most commonly used dried chile in authentic Mexican cuisine.  The dried poblano is called chile ancho, which translates to “wide chile”. Poblanos are from the species Capsicum annum.

History of Poblano Chiles

The Poblano chile is native to the mountainous state of Puebla which is located just east of Mexico City. The fresh Poblano chile grows to about 5″ in length and is often used for stuffing and for making chile strips.

"Chile poblano" means “chile from Puebla” in spanish. The city of Puebla played a key role in Mexican cuisine and history. Chiles en nogada is a patriotic dish that was created in honor of the Mexican General Agustin de Iturbide (who was known as Augustine of Mexico). During the Mexican War of Independence he led an army that seized control of Mexico City in early 1821, gaining independence for Mexico. He is also credited as the original designer of the first Mexican flag.

On August 24, 1821 General Agustin de Iturbide signed the Treaty of Cordoba in Veracruz securing Mexico’s independence. On his way back to Mexico City he stopped in Puebla where legend has it that local nuns from the Santa Monica convent created the first Chiles en nogada dish as a tribute to him with the green, white and red colors of the Mexican flag serving as inspiration. The green from the color of the Poblano chile, the white from the sauce topping the chile and the red from the garnish of the red pomegranate seeds.

Poblano Cultivation

Poblano chile plants are fairly small, reaching a height of about 2 feet. They prefer full sunlight and need a moderate amount of water. A poblano takes around 100-115 days from seed to harvest and requires soil temperatures of at least 65°F to germinate.

The leading producers of pobalno chiles are Mexco and the US. Depending on the time of year our ancho chiles may come from either Mexico or the US.

Ancho Chiles Flavor Profile, Heat and Grade

Ancho peppers are a deep, reddish brown to black in color and their texture is wrinkled. They have a mild fruity, sweet, slightly smoky flavor with undertones of plum, raisin, tobacco and a slightly earthy bitterness. With a mild to medium heat (4,000-9,000 on the Scoville Heat Scale), this heart shaped dried pepper is about 3” wide and 4” in length and tapers to a point. In Mexico, the Ancho is marketed in three grades of quality. "Primero" is the highest grade, consisting of the thickest-fleshed and largest chiles. "Mediano" is the medium grade and "Ancho" is the basic grade.

Mole and the "Holy Trinity"

The Dried Ancho Chile is a key chile in the famous “holy trinity” of Mexican chiles used in Mexican mole (pronounced MOH-leh), along with the Pasilla de Negro and the Mulato chiles. Mulato chiles are closely related to the Ancho chile, but they are not the same. Ancho chiles can be used whole, in which case they are typically reconstituted by soaking them in hot water to soften them.

Ancho chiles figure in the origin of "mole poblano." According to legend, this dish was created in the 16th century by a Dominican nun named Sor Andrea de la Asuncion at the Santa Rosa convent in the Mexican city of Puebla.

Not all Ancho Chiles are the Same

Depending on the region, this chile is known by several names. Growers sometimes mistakenly call both fresh and dried forms Ancho." In California, Ancho chiles are often confused with the Pasilla de Negro chile - which don’t look, let alone taste, anything like Ancho chiles. Pasilla chiles are long and thin and have a very different texture.

How to Cook with Ancho Powder

Ground Ancho chile powder is used in spice rubs or for making mole or enchilada sauce. Ancho chile powder is also used to intensify adobados (meat marinated or seasoned with an adobo is referred to as adobado), beans, beef, casseroles, chicken, dips, pasta, pizza, popcorn, pork, red chili, rice, salsa, soups and stews.

One of our favorite ways of using Ancho powder is to mix it with some fresh honey to make a ancho-honey glaze that we brush onto salmon before sautéeing.

Some of our favorite recipes using Ancho Chiles are Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas, Pozole Rojo, Black Beans and Mexican Chorizo and One Dish Puerto Rican Chicken.

Helpful Hints

If you are looking for an ancho chile powder substitute go with guajillo or pasilla negro chile powder.

Ancho chile pepper conversions: 1 whole Ancho chile = 1 heaping tablespoon of ancho powder which is also equal to approximately 1/4 oz.

Some of our favorite Mexican chile powders are Habanero, de Arbol, Serrano, Jalapeno, Pasilla Negro, Chipotle "Morita", Chipotle "Meco" and Guajillo.


** This product is certified kosher.

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