Chile ancho

Chile ancho is the dried form of the poblano, a broad, wrinkled, reddish-brown chile that turns brick-red when soaked. Possibly the most used chile in Mexico, it colors most red stews and many adobos.

Description

Larousse describes the ancho as triangular, about 12 cm long and 7 cm across, with wrinkled, glossy reddish-brown skin. Rehydrated, it takes on a brick-red color, which makes it the standard coloring agent for most of Mexico's red guisos. The dictionary suggests it may be the most widely used chile in the country and notes that it has regional variants.

Use in taco fillings

Larousse notes that guajillo is usually combined with other chiles, especially ancho, and ancho joins guajillo and pasilla in Mexican adobos, the vinegar-based chile sauces used to marinate pork and other meats. Tlaxcala-style mixiotes marinate meat in guajillo and ancho, and Veracruz's fried peanut salsa grinds ancho with pasilla and árbol.

Reviews

See also

• Chile guajillo
• Chile pasilla
• Adobo
• Salsa de cacahuate

References

1. "Chile ancho". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
2. "Chile guajillo". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
3. "Adobo". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.
4. "Mixiote". Larousse Cocina (Diccionario enciclopédico de la Gastronomía Mexicana). Retrieved 2026-10-10.