Chipotle: What It Is, How to Use It and Substitutes
What is chipotle?
The name comes from Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs, and means roughly ‘smoked chilli’. To make chipotle, jalapeños are left on the plant until they ripen and turn red. Then they spend several days in smoking chambers until hardly any water is left in them. Two types are common. Chipotle morita is small, dark wine-red and slightly fruity. It is smoked for a shorter time and is the usual kind in cans and bags. Chipotle meco is larger, smoked for longer, greyish brown and leathery in appearance, and tastes much more strongly of smoke. The heat is roughly that of a jalapeño, but the smoking makes it feel rounder.
Flavour and uses
Chipotle tastes smoky, slightly sweet and moderately hot. In Mexican cooking it is the basis of tinga, in which shredded meat is braised in a tomato and chipotle sauce. You can find a recipe on our site for tinga de pollo from Guatemala. The chicken soup caldo tlalpeño gets its colour and depth from dried chipotles, and the meatballs in albóndigas en chipotle cook directly in a chipotle sauce. Chipotles in adobo are the most convenient form. One chilli is enough for a pan of sauce, and a teaspoon of the adobo sauce seasons mayonnaise, marinades or beans. Soak dried chillies in hot water for 20 minutes, then blend them.
Buying chipotle: what to look for
Chipotles in adobo come in small cans of about 200 g, sold at Latin American grocers, well-stocked supermarkets and online. Dried chillies should be pliable and should not crumble. Mould spots or a musty smell mean you should not buy them. Chipotle powder is practical but loses its aroma faster. With powder, check the ingredients list, as some blends contain salt, sugar or paprika as fillers.
Storage and shelf life
Dried chipotles keep for about a year in a tightly sealed jar, stored somewhere dark and dry. Transfer an opened can of chipotles in adobo to a jar, and it will keep in the fridge for about two weeks. For longer, use the freezer. Freeze the chillies individually with a little sauce, so later you can take out exactly one.
What can you use instead of chipotle?
The closest substitute is smoked paprika. For one chipotle in adobo, use 1 tsp of hot pimentón de la Vera, a pinch of cayenne pepper and 1 tsp of tomato purée with a few drops of vinegar. For 1 tsp of chipotle powder, 1 tsp of smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne will do. Ancho chillies have a similar fruitiness but very little smoke. Liquid smoke is not a good substitute, as it can quickly taste artificial.
