What is a Chipotle Pepper?
The chipotle pepper is a smoked or dried jalapeño pepper. The smoked chipotle pepper originated in the area surrounding Mexico City. Peoples prior to the Aztec civilization were thought to have invented the chipotle pepper. The peppers may have been smoked to keep them from rotting, since the jalapeño was prone to quickly deteriorate when stored.
The pronounciation of the word chipotle is a widely discussed topic among pepper afficianados. Many traditionalists recognize the word's roots in the Nahuatl language indiginous to what is now Mexico. By their reckoning, the word should be prounounced "chee-poatl," with just two syllables and a shortened "uh" sound between the final two consonants. Due to the current rise in popularity of the use of chipotle peppers in restaurants in the United States, however, the Spanish pronounciation is far more common: "chee-POAT-lay."
The process used was similar to that for drying meat. Usually meat or vegetables were allowed to dry in an enclosed space while exposed to wood smoke. Preservation was excellent for foods subjected to this treatment, expressing the ingenuity of those far predating our civilization.
The chipotle pepper, naturally, resembles a jalapeño, but tends to be brown and shriveled. It loses little of its heat through the smoking process, and many enjoy not only its spiciness but as well the natural wood smoke taste accompanying the chipotle pepper. Though its first applications were in traditional Mexican dishes, the chipotle now enjoys a broad range of uses throughout the US.
While one can purchase the chipotle pepper whole, it is also available as a salt, a seasoning, and in chili paste. The chili paste is usually canned, adding further to the chipotle’s durability. Canned chili paste may contain other peppers as well to moderate the “heat” of this typical addition to chilies, soups, or to meat prepared for tacos and other fillings. It also makes an excellent rub for grilled meats or vegetables.
Jalapenos whether smoked or fresh, can produce either medium or high heat dishes. Using whole chipotles in recipes, especially when one includes the seeds, results in hot, though not super hot dishes. However, one unaccustomed to a heat of about 7,500 Scoville Heat Units may find the chipotle pepper hot to the point of uncomfortable. A mild pepper, conversely, is measured at about 1,000 Scoville Units. Sweet peppers rank zero on the Scoville scale.
If one wants to remove some of the heat from a chipotle pepper, one can carefully cut the pepper in half and gently remove the seeds and the white membranes holding the seeds to the inside of the pepper. Although there is capsaisin in the flesh of the fruit as well, this will remove most of the heat. Caution should be taken not to touch the eyes during this procedure, as the pepper can still be extremely irritating to the eyes and skin. In large recipes, however, using a small amount of chipotle pepper can provide great flavor without creating a dish that is too hot.
Recipes for the chipotle pepper greatly vary. One sees them in traditional Mexican food, but fusion cuisine often makes use of the chipotle pepper. One can find Internet recipes for chipotle chicken with spinach, shrimp glazed in chipotle sauce, or chipotle brownies. These newer recipes give the chipotle pepper a wide range of applications in fine cuisine.
Written by Tricia Ellis-Christensen
