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Dried New Mexico Chile Peppers
Inventory, 5 lbs : 5.48
This item was last sold on : 03/31/23
Description/Taste
Dried New Mexico chile peppers are small, averaging 10 to 17 centimeters in length and 4 to 5 centimeters in diameter, and have a flat, tapered appearance, ending in a point on the non-stem end. The dried skin is smooth, glossy, and pliable, covered in deep folds, wrinkles, and creases, capped with a fibrous, green-brown stem. The skin also ranges in color from dark red to red-brown and is semi-thick, tough, and leathery. Underneath the surface, a slender, hollow cavity is filled with many round and flat, golden yellow seeds. Dried New Mexico chile peppers emit a fruity, earthy, and fresh aroma and offer a sweet, mellow, and earthy flavor with cherry, plum, raisin, and sage undertones. The chile peppers also contain a slow-building, mild to moderate heat, depending on the specific variety, and impart a crisp, clean acidity.
Seasons/Availability
Dried New Mexico chile peppers are available year-round.
Current Facts
Dried New Mexico chile pepper, botanically classified as Capsicum annuum, is a general descriptor used for several pepper varieties belonging to the Solanaceae or nightshade family. The term New Mexico chile pepper encompasses any variety grown throughout New Mexico State, and some of the popular cultivars include Barker, Sanida, Rio Grande, Big Jim, R-Naky, Joe Parker, New Mexico No. 9, and several NuMex varieties, which are peppers developed through New Mexico State University. Dried New Mexico chile peppers are the dehydrated versions of ripe red peppers left on the plant to acquire a complex flavoring. After the peppers appear partially wrinkled on the plant, the chile peppers are removed and specially dried to be sold for culinary use. Dried New Mexico chile peppers range in heat, depending on the variety, but they generally are mild with a fruity, earthy, and acidic flavor. The dried peppers are traditionally rehydrated or ground into a powder for flavoring culinary dishes and are used in a wide variety of sweet and savory preparations.
Nutritional Value
Dried New Mexico chile peppers are a source of vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, vitamin C to strengthen the immune system while reducing inflammation, and fiber to stimulate the digestive tract. The peppers also provide potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, calcium to protect bones and teeth, and contain other nutrients, including vitamin K, magnesium, iron, niacin, and vitamin B6. Beyond vitamins and minerals, Dried New Mexico chile peppers contain capsaicin, a chemical compound that triggers the brain to feel the sensation of heat. Capsaicin contributes anti-inflammatory properties and can be ingested in the pepper as a food, or the compound is extracted and mixed with creams, applied topically as an itch and pain reliever.
Applications
Dried New Mexico chile peppers have a fruity, earthy, and sweet flavor well suited for fresh or cooked preparations. The chile peppers can be rehydrated, immersed in hot water for 10 to 15 minutes, and blended, pureed, or diced into dishes, or the peppers can be dried and ground into flakes or powder. Dried New Mexico chile peppers are primarily used in culinary dishes as coloring, heat, and added flavoring. They are typically incorporated into sauces, marinades, and salsas, or they can be simmered into soups, chilis, and stews. Dried New Mexico chile peppers can also be minced into queso or other dips, folded into tamales, mixed into rice-based dishes, or tossed into stir-fries. In addition to fresh preparations, the chile peppers can be placed into pickling brine for added heat, infused into rum, or blended into cocktails for a lingering warmth. Dried New Mexico chile peppers can also be ground into a powder and sprinkled over pizza, meat dishes, casseroles, or enchiladas. Try mixing the ground powder with other spices and using it as a dry rub over meats for added flavor or sprinkling it into baked goods and melted chocolate batter for a zesty kick. In New Mexico, the pepper powder is sold as molido, a mellow but spice-filled powder brand name. Dried New Mexico chile peppers pair well with meats such as duck, beef, poultry, and fish, spices including cilantro, cumin, paprika, and coriander, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, and legumes. Whole dried peppers will keep six months to one year when stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry, and dark location away from direct sunlight.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
New Mexico chile peppers are grown in several regions across New Mexico State, and the production areas are linked together by a “Chile Trail.” This agrotourism driving trail mainly runs along the state's southern portions, crossing through regions such as Dona Ana, Hidalgo, Luna, Hatch, Artesia, Eddy, and Lea. Along the trail, roadside chile stands are constructed, selling Dried New Mexico chile pepper ristras, which are bunches of dried peppers strung in decorative formations. Ristras are believed to welcome good luck into a house and are often hung in kitchens or doorways. Within New Mexico, the small village of Hatch has been self-branded the chile capital of the world and is one of the most popular stops along the trail. Chile peppers have supported the agricultural sector of New Mexico for over a century, and the village of Hatch has unique terroir consisting of mountains and deserts that produces flavorful chile peppers distinct from other regions. There are approximately six different varieties of chile peppers grown in Hatch, first planted in 1915, and the peppers are generally labeled under the Hatch chile name in markets to promote sales. Dried Hatch chile peppers are sold domestically and exported worldwide. When the peppers enter the market, they are highly publicized and incorporated into novelty food items to create what is now known as “hatch chile season” or “hatch chile mania.”
Geography/History
New Mexico chile peppers are descendants of ancient chile pepper varieties native to Central Mexico. Chile peppers were bred and naturally selected over time, and in the early ages, peppers were traded between indigenous peoples in Arizona and Mexico with groups in New Mexico. Spanish explorers also introduced chile peppers into New Mexico in the 1580s, where the pods were planted and tended to, beginning chile production in the region. Later in 1907, a scientist named Fabian Garcia began breeding chiles at New Mexico State University that would ultimately lead to the creation of New Mexico Chile No. 9, a hybrid of the chile negro, chile Colorado, and chile pasilla. "No. 9" is the original, standardized variety of hatch chiles and was a favorable consumer chile in regards to flavor, size, and applications. After Garcia’s famous pepper, New Mexico State University continued their pepper breeding program, releasing many new cultivars still produced in New Mexico. Today, New Mexico chile peppers are cultivated annually throughout New Mexico and are sold in fresh, dried, and powdered forms. Dried chile peppers are found through local markets, grocers, and roadside stands. They are also sold through online retailers for worldwide export.
Featured Restaurants
Restaurants currently purchasing this product as an ingredient for their menu.
| Casa | San Diego CA | 619-581-3003 |
| Salt & Whiskey | San Diego CA | 619-544-1886 |
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