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 isolatio ...
variety of
chile pepper of the species ''
Capsicum annuum.'' 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 ...
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 re ...
chilies.
The Mexican state of
Zacatecas 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:
A ...
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. Tam ...
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 flavo ...
s,
salsas, pastes, butters and
spice rubs 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''
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 smoke-dried ripe jalapeño chili pepper used for seasoning. It is a chili used primarily in Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisines, such as Tex-Mex and Southwestern United States dishes. It comes in dif ...
- 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 f ...
References
Capsicum cultivars
Chili peppers
Mexican cuisine
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