# Dried chipotle peppers - what should I do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 5, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170 "2006-03-05T19:33:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lambo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lambo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lambo)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170/1 "2006-03-05T19:33:07Z")
I just got back from the local food co-op, and while I was there, I picked up a small bag of dried chipotle peppers (.05 of a pound). I bought them on a whim, as the bag was only 54 cents. Now, what should I do with them? They smell great, but I really don’t incorporate peppers into my cooking very often (my preference for ‘hot’ things leads me more to horseradish than peppers). Any good, simple ways to use these? Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2006, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170/2 "2006-03-05T20:02:49Z")
> [@Lambo](#): > > I just got back from the local food co-op, and while I was there, I picked up a small bag of dried chipotle peppers (.05 of a pound). I bought them on a whim, as the bag was only 54 cents. Now, what should I do with them? They smell great, but I really don’t incorporate peppers into my cooking very often (my preference for ‘hot’ things leads me more to horseradish than peppers). Any good, simple ways to use these? Thanks in advance. Chili. Sprinkle it over some mayo on a turkey sandwich. Just use it however you would use regular hot pepper where a smoky taste would be appropriate. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170/3 "2006-03-06T00:04:52Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Chili. > Sprinkle it over some mayo on a turkey sandwich. > > Just use it however you would use regular hot pepper where a smoky taste would be appropriate. Pretty sure **Lambo** is talking about whole peppers, not powdered. You can use them in _mole_, chili or other Mexican dishes, but probably ought to reconstitute them in some warm water first. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170/4 "2006-03-06T00:49:16Z")
Reconstitute them in warm water. Mix them into sour cream. (You want it to be hot, but not so that your head will explode.) Add sliced mushrooms, and maybe a little coarsly-chopped onion. Put a wild salmon fillet (don’t used farm-raised – it’s not as flavourful) onto a sheet of aluminum foil. Pour your chipotle sauce over the fillet. Wrap and seal the foil around the fillet and bake in a 375ºF oven until it’s done. Serve with refried beans and fried rice, and maybe some nice squash. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170/5 "2006-03-06T01:45:22Z")
Boil two or three untill soft 1 lrg white onion 1 red bell pepper 3 chip. peppers lg can peeled tomatos 3.5 lbs chicken breast Take alll ingredience (Except chicken) throw in a blender and puree. Now take chicken throw it in a crock pot along with the puree and slow cook it for about 8-10 hours. (last hour add you own style of spices. Personally, I like cumn, salt and garlic powder in about equal parts.) When done stir chicken up so it falls apart into shreds. Now you’ve got the making for great chipolte chicken tacos or burritos!! ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170/6 "2006-03-06T01:53:09Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Pretty sure **Lambo** is talking about whole peppers, not powdered. You can use them in _mole_, chili or other Mexican dishes, but probably ought to reconstitute them in some warm water first. :smack: Ah, yes. Well then, reconstitute them, puree them, and add them to mayo and chili. And there’s plenty of nice salsas you can make with reconsituted chipotles and tomatoes or tomatillos, onions, and cilantro or epazote. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170/7 "2006-03-06T03:14:23Z")
I am not up on my food terminology so please educate me. Isn’t the term “dried chipotle peppers” redundant? Aren’t non-dried chipotle peppers called jalapenos? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170/8 "2006-03-06T04:56:00Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I am not up on my food terminology so please educate me. Isn’t the term “dried chipotle peppers” redundant? Aren’t non-dried chipotle peppers called jalapenos? No. Chipotles are smoked jalapenos (yes, there is a certain amount of drying involved in the process, but it’s not the same as simply a dried jalapeno). You can find “non-dried” chipotles sold in cans–in fact, I think more people are familiar with these chipotles in adobo sauce than the dried varieties. ---
**Author:** ![Whifton\_Polekitty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/97f17d/32.png) [@Whifton\_Polekitty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whifton_Polekitty)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170/9 "2006-03-06T05:06:44Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > I am not up on my food terminology so please educate me. Isn’t the term “dried chipotle peppers” redundant? Aren’t non-dried chipotle peppers called jalapenos? Chipotles are smoke-dried. > **[Chipotle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chipotle)** > > A chipotle (/tʃɪˈpoʊtleɪ/, chi-POHT-lay; Spanish: \[tʃiˈpotle\]), 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 different forms, such as chipotles en adobo (stewed in adobo sauce). > A chipotle's heat is similar to that of the Espelette pepper, jalapeño, Guajillo chili, Hungarian wax pepper, Anaheim pepper and Tabasco sauce. > Jalape... They do lend a rather… well, hot and smoky flavor to things. Very nice. ---
**Author:** ![Critical1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@Critical1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Critical1)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170/10 "2006-03-06T05:27:11Z")
crush up a few and drop them in a jar of olive oil and let it sit for a couple weeks, then just use the oil when you cook and want some flavor in the dish. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2006, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dried-chipotle-peppers-what-should-i-do/347170/11 "2006-03-06T19:46:09Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > No. Chipotles are smoked jalapenos (yes, there is a certain amount of drying involved in the process, but it’s not the same as simply a dried jalapeno). You can find “non-dried” chipotles sold in cans–in fact, I think more people are familiar with these chipotles in adobo sauce than the dried varieties. Thanks for the clarification.