A guajillo chili or guajillo chile or chile guaco ( es, chile guajillo) is the dried form of the mirasol chili, a
landrace
A landrace is a domesticated, locally adapted, often traditional variety of a species of animal or plant that has developed over time, through adaptation to its natural and cultural environment of agriculture and pastoralism, and due to isolation ...
variety of
chile pepper
Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for t ...
of the species ''
Capsicum annuum
''Capsicum annuum'' is a species of the plant genus ''Capsicum'' native to southern North America, the Caribbean, and northern South America. This species is the most common and extensively cultivated of the five domesticated capsicums. The spec ...
.'' Guajillos are the second-most commonly used dried chili in
Mexican cuisine
Mexican cuisine consists of the cooking cuisines and traditions of the modern country of Mexico. Its earliest roots lie in Mesoamerican cuisine. Its ingredients and methods begin with the first agricultural communities such as the Olmec and M ...
after anchos, the dried form of
poblano
The poblano (''Capsicum annuum'') is a mild chili pepper originating in the state of Puebla, Mexico. Dried, it is called ancho or chile ancho, from the Spanish word ''ancho'' ("wide"). Stuffed fresh and roasted it is popular in '' chiles relle ...
chilies.
The Mexican state of
Zacatecas
, image_map = Zacatecas in Mexico (location map scheme).svg
, map_caption = State of Zacatecas within Mexico
, coordinates =
, coor_pinpoint =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type ...
is one of the main producers of guajillo chilies. There are two main varieties that are distinguished by their size and heat factors. The guajillo ''puya'' is the smaller and hotter of the two ( es, puyar, label=none, in Spanish, is to prick or poke). In contrast, the longer and wider ''guajillo'' has a more pronounced, richer flavor and is somewhat less spicy. With a rating of 2,500 to 5,000 on the
Scoville scale
The Scoville scale is a measurement of the pungency (spiciness or "heat") of chili peppers, as recorded in Scoville heat units (SHU), based on the concentration of capsaicinoids, among which capsaicin is the predominant component.
The scale i ...
, its heat is considered mild to medium.
Guajillo chilies have many applications and are used in a variety of Mexican preparations. For instance, they are sometimes used to make
salsa
Salsa most often refers to:
* Salsa (Mexican cuisine), a variety of sauces used as condiments
* Salsa music, a popular style of Latin American music
* Salsa (dance), a Latin dance associated with Salsa music
Salsa or SALSA may also refer to:
...
for
tamale
A tamale, in Spanish tamal, is a traditional Mesoamerican dish made of masa, a dough made from nixtamalized corn, which is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. The wrapping can either be discarded prior to eating or used as a plate. Tamale ...
s; the dried fruits are seeded, soaked or simmered, then pulverized, mashed or pureed into a paste, then cooked with several other ingredients to produce a flavorful sauce.
Guajillo chilies are used in
marinade
Marinating is the process of soaking foods in a seasoned, often acidic, liquid before cooking. The origin of the word alludes to the use of brine (''aqua marina'' or sea water) in the pickling process, which led to the technique of adding flavor b ...
s,
salsas
Salsas is a civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties, or their combined f ...
, pastes, butters and
spice rub
Spice rub is any mixture of ground spices that is made to be rubbed on raw food before the food is cooked. The spice rub forms a coating on the food. The food can be marinated in the spice rub for some time for the flavors to incorporate int ...
s to flavor meats, fat and oil with other ingredients. The guajillo chili, with its more delicate flavor, is used with fish and chicken, or added to salsa as a side dish.
Some Mexican dishes where guajillo chiles are a main ingredient include:
* ''Chilate'' or ''mole de olla''
* ''Pambazos''
* ''Consomés''
* ''Carne
adobada
Adobada (Spanish for " marinated") is a preparation for many dishes that are common in Mexican cuisine. Adobada is generally pork marinated in a "red" chili sauce with vinegar and oregano, but it can refer to different types of meat and to marinad ...
''
Description
The guajillo chile has a reddish-brown, rather dark color and a thin, smooth, shiny skin. It is about 8-10 cm long. In terms of flavor, it is generally defined as sweet and somewhat fruity. Pungency varies widely from 2 000 SHU, i.e., mildly hot, to 15 000 SHU,
i.e., moderately hot.
See also
*
Chipotle
A chipotle (, ; ), or ''chilpotle'', is a smoking (food), smoke-dried ripe jalapeño chili pepper used for seasoning. It is a chili used primarily in Mexican cuisine, Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisines, such as Tex-Mex cuisine, Tex-Mex and So ...
- The smoked and dried form of the
jalapeño chili pepper.
*
Pasilla
The pasilla chile ( ) or chile negro is the dried form of the chilaca chili pepper, a long and narrow member of species ''Capsicum annuum''. Named for its dark, wrinkled skin (literally "little raisin"), it is a mild to hot, rich-flavored chile ...
- The dried form of the chilaca chili pepper.
*
List of smoked foods
This is a list of smoked foods. Smoking is the process of flavoring, cooking, or preserving food by exposing it to smoke from burning or smoldering material, most often wood. Foods have been smoked by humans throughout history. Meats and fish a ...
References
Capsicum cultivars
Chili peppers
Mexican cuisine
{{vegetable-stub