Dried Pasilla Negro Chile Peppers
Estimated Inventory, 5 lbs : 5.92
This item was last sold on : 11/25/24
Description/Taste
Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers are long, flat, and slender, averaging 15 to 25 centimeters in length and 2 to 4 centimeters in diameter, and have a slightly tapered appearance capped with a dry, brown stem. The pepper’s surface is glossy, covered in wrinkles and deep folds, and ranges in color from red-brown to dark purple, almost black. Underneath the skin, a layer of semi-thick, dried flesh encases a hollow cavity filled with many golden-yellow, round seeds. Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers will have a soft and pliable consistency when properly dehydrated. As the pods age, they may develop a more brittle, tough, and crumbling nature. The dried peppers emit a sweet aroma reminiscent of raisins and chocolate, and the pods also have a complex blend of earthy, fruity, and smoky flavors combined with herbaceous, woodsy nuances and dried fruit, coffee, and warm spice-like undertones.
Seasons/Availability
Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers are available year-round.
Current Facts
Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, are dehydrated versions of the chilaca chile pepper belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. Chilaca chile peppers are a thick-walled pod cultivated in Mexico, highly valued for their large size, mild nature, and unique flavoring. The fresh peppers ripen from green to dark brown, and once they mature, the dark brown peppers are harvested and dried to create Pasilla Negro chile peppers. Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers are more prevalent in culinary preparations throughout Mexico compared to their fresh counterpart, and both versions of the pepper contain a mild heat, ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 SHU on the Scoville scale. Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers are also known as Chile Pasilla, Chile Negro, Pasilla, and Chile Pasilla de Mexico and are primarily used powdered or rehydrated as a flavoring for sauces, soups, marinades, and seasonings. It is important to note in some American markets that Pasilla is used to label fresh poblano peppers. These peppers are distinct in appearance and are distinguished by poblanos having a flatter, broader shape and Pasilla chile peppers bearing a narrower, tapered shape with a dark, pigmented hue.
Nutritional Value
Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers are an excellent source of vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system, fiber to regulate the digestive tract, and iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream. The peppers also provide B vitamins to transform food into energy, magnesium to support nerve and muscle operations, and lower amounts of manganese, copper, potassium, and antioxidants.
Applications
Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers have an earthy, smokey, sweet, and savory flavor suited for sauces, main dishes, and desserts. The dried pods can be ground into powder or flakes and used as a spice, popularly combined with other spices to make dry rubs for meat, seasonings to sprinkle over elote, or mixed with brown sugar as a marinade. Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers can also be rehydrated by soaking in warm water for 15 to 20 minutes. Once reconstituted, the pods can be blended into pastes to flavor vinaigrettes, marinades, hot sauces, and salsa, or they can be stuffed with grains, meats, and cheeses. They can also be incorporated into cream-based sauces, blended into soups, chowders, stews, and chili, or pureed into sauces for tacos, meatloaf, enchiladas, tamales, and rice dishes. Pasilla Negro chile peppers are commonly mixed into adobo sauces in Mexico and served with roasted meats. The dried peppers are also used by chefs as a finishing element over tortilla soup or mixed with chocolate as a filling for tarts. Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers pair well with raisins, cheeses such as asadero, cheddar, and queso fresco, Mexican oregano, fennel, meats such as duck, pork, poultry, lamb, and beef, seafood, garlic, tomatoes, mushrooms, legumes, and honey. Whole Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers will keep 1 to 2 years when stored in a sealed container away from direct sunlight.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
The name Pasilla translates from Spanish to mean “little black raisin,” a descriptor given for the dried pepper’s wrinkled, gnarled appearance, dark coloring, and slightly fruity aroma. Dried Pasilla chile peppers are highly favored in Central Mexico for their rich flavor and aroma, and the peppers are famous for their use in mole, a traditional, complex sauce comprised of over twenty different ingredients. Mole is Mexico’s national dish and originated in the Puebla and Oaxaca regions of Mexico. The word mole is derived from the Nahuatl language to mean “concoction” or “sauce.” Within mole, chocolate, spices, fruit, aromatics, and chile peppers are ground into a paste, and there are three main chile peppers used as a base flavoring for the sauce, guajillo, ancho, and Pasilla. In Mexico, these peppers are labeled as “the holy trinity of chile peppers” and are revered for their smokey, earthy, sweet, and decadent flavor combination. Mole is customarily made during holidays or special celebrations like weddings, birthdays, and baptisms, and the sauce is served over rice-based dishes, grilled meats, tacos, burritos, and many other recipes that call for a savory-sweet sauce.
Geography/History
Chilaca chile peppers are native to the Puebla region of Central Mexico, just south of Mexico City, and have been cultivated since ancient times. The fresh peppers thrive in fertile soil in hot and sunny, arid climates and take approximately 80 to 90 days to mature. Once the peppers have transitioned into their dark brown hue and are fully ripe, the pods are harvested and left to dry in the sun, creating a wrinkled, flattened appearance. Dried Pasilla chile peppers have been present in Mexican culture for as long as the peppers have been in existence, and the dried peppers were primarily favored over the fresh versions for their extended shelf life. Today chilaca chile peppers are grown in Central and Northwestern Mexico, specifically in Guanajuato, Jalisco, Michoacan, and Zacatecas. The peppers are also cultivated in home gardens among chile pepper enthusiasts throughout the United States, dehydrating and creating their own Pasilla Negro chile peppers in their backyards. Dried Pasilla Negro chile peppers can be found through local farmer’s markets, select grocers, Mexican markets, specialty distributors, and online retailers in Mexico and the United States. The dried peppers can also be shipped worldwide, most commonly sold in Europe, North America, and Central America.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Gravity Heights Restaurant and Brewery | San Diego CA | 858-551-5105 |
| Miguel's Cocina Coronado | Coronado CA | 619-437-4237 |
| Gravity Heights Mission Valley | San Diego CA | 619-384-5993 |
| Nolita Hall | San Diego CA | 619-618-8820 |
| El Agave Restaurant & Tequileria | San Diego CA | 619-220-0692 |
| Flap Your Jacks | San Diego CA | 858-224-7442 |
| Barrel & Board | San Diego CA | 619-902-4646 |
| Panama 66 | San Diego CA | 619-206-6352 |
| Lafayette Hotel - Quixote | San Diego CA | 619-296-2101 |
| The Shores | La Jolla CA | 858-459-8271 |
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Dried Pasilla Negro Chile Peppers. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Mexican Please |
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Pasilla Chile Salsa |
| Food dot com |
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Duck (or Chicken) & Chile Mole Tostadas |
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Authentic Mexican Hot Sauce |
