Chipotles are an essential item at any well-stocked Mexican or Latin grocery store. In areas catering to large Mexican populations, they may be found in well-stocked big-box grocery stores as well, though chipotles in adobo tend to be more readily encountered.

While chipotle peppers are a very common and important Mexican ingredient, they are not a particularly common ingredient in the “Mexican” section found in many grocery stores, which tends to lean towards pre-packaged Tex-Mex.

For the hardcore DIY fan, chipotle peppers can be made at home, though this of course requires a knowledge of smoking and access to ripe, red jalapeños.

Ground chipotle peppers are often available in the spice section of large conventional grocery stores.

Chipotle peppers should be dry yet supple – extremely brittle and damaged peppers should be avoided if possible. Likewise, very soft peppers may have been exposed to moisture and should be avoided. It’s not uncommon to find broken or cracked chipotles; as long as they’re still supple, these are fine to use (though the broken ones will often spill seeds all over the place).

Chipotle peppers can vary a great deal in size and thickness owing to differences in the size of the mature jalapeños from which they are made. This does not particularly affect the flavour, quality, or heat of the chipotles, though you may want to choose a consistent size if you plan to use recipes calling for a certain number (rather than weight) of peppers in order to achieve consistent results.

MORITA VS. MECO

When choosing chipotles, you’ll want to differentiate between morita and meco chipotles, as the two look very different.

Meco chipotles are the most commonly encountered chipotle and often considered the ‘true’ chipotle, while moritas are distinguished as a separate pepper entirely. They should have a dusty brown appearance, rather like a cigar butt, with or without darker veins criss-crossing the surface. They should have a distinctly smoky smell.

Morita chipotles are relatively common, though they are not always marketed as chipotles. Unlike their meco cousins, moritas should be a deep reddish-purple colour. The vein-like crinkling on the surface may be yellowish or otherwise pale.

Because the peppers used to make both varieties can vary in size, both meco and morita chipotles can come in a wide range of sizes. That being said, mecos are usually around 7-10 cm (3-4 inches) and moritas are shorter and stubbier, at around 4-7 cm (1.5-3 inches)

For pictures differentiating morita and meco chipotles, consult the images below this section.

(Note: this article does not deal with chipotles in adobo – for information on using them, click here).

This section deals with uses for chipotle peppers – for information about preparing them, check the “Preparation and Storage” tab below.

Chipotles are primarily used to add a slightly fruity and distinctively smoky flavour to a wide variety of foods. The are frequently pureed and added to soups and sauces. They may also be used in smaller quantities to flavour creamy sauces (chipotle mayo is an increasingly popular ‘fusion’ condiment).

Many cooks like to soak and puree the peppers and use them in this fashion. This puree can be used to flavour any manner of sauces, soups, salsas, or other dishes, and can be kept in the fridge for at least a month. Likewise the flavourful soaking liquid is often used as an ingredient itself, and will impart a milder version of the same smoky-sweet flavour. In some cases, toasted chipotles are added directly to a soup or sauce, especially if the end result is pureed.

Dried and crushed or ground chipotles can be used virtually anywhere that you’d used a standard chili flake or powder, though the powferful smoky taste makes them uncommon as a condiment.

Like most dried peppers, chipotles are a little tough on their own and are generally blended or otherwise incorporated into a dish. However, there are some dishes that call for whole (softened) chipotles, often stuffed.

Preparation

Chipotles require a moderate amount of preparation, though the particular method(s) necessary will vary from recipe to recipe. As a general rule, the stems are removed and discarded. The pepper may be sliced open to discard the seeds, though this is often optional depending on the desired heat of the final dish (the seeds and membranes are the spiciest part of the pepper).

Chipotles, likes many other dried chilies, are often toasted in a dry pan to accentuate their flavour. They are also commonly rehydrated in warm water or stock, then used (plus or minus the flavourful soaking liquid) in a recipe. The particular method necessary are usually specified in a given recipe, but these basic principles can easily be used by the cook looking to create or adapt a recipe featuring chipotles.

For an example of how to prepare and rehydrate chipotles within the context of a specific recipe, you can consult the instructions for this Smoky Oyster Mushroom Soup, which uses chipotles to memorable and delicious effect.

Storage

Dried chipotles should be stored in an airtight container to prevent them from either absorbing or losing excess moisture. Store the peppers in a cool, dark cupboard to ensure that they retain their flavour.

As already mentioned in the introductory section and several other sections of this page, chipotles can be broadly categorized into two very distinctive types.

Meco Chipotles – Dusty brown or tan, elongate, and rather like a cigar or cigar butt in appearance, these peppers are smoked for a long time, giving them a pronounced and powerful flavour. These are frequently sold simply as chipotle peppers, as they have come to represent the ‘true’ chipotle in the minds of many North American consumers. Meco chipotles are the most commonly sold and used chipotle in Central and Southern Mexico.

Morita Chipotles – Red to deep purple, stubbier, and smoother than meco chipotles, these peppers are not smoked as long, allowing them to retain more of their fruity flavour (unsurprisingly, this also makes them less smoky tasting). Morita chipotles are often sold simply as morita peppers, with no mention of the chipotle moniker. Moritas are primarily produced in Chihuahua Mexico, whose proximity to the United States has made this pepper fairly common and popular there.

Note that there are many other dried peppers, and while some of these may have flavour elements in common with chipotles, they are beyond the scope of this how-to guide.

Given the wealth of peppers both dried and fresh in Central and South American cuisine, it should come as little surprise that substitutes for chipotle peppers are simple to find in some ways, and rather difficult in others. There are many other dried peppers (anchos are a particularly common and popular example), but because most of these are not smoked, they make poor replacements for chipotles. Meco chipotles are distinct for being so heavily smoked, and are therefore harder to substitute for than the milder morita peppers. Serrano peppers are sometimes dried and smoked, and these may make a reasonable replacement for chipotles, though they’re likely to be even harder to find than chipotles. As a general rule, you could substitute any dried AND smoked chili pepper for a chipotle in order to yield a comparable (but not identical) flavour.

The easiest substitute for a dried chipotle is probably a chipotle preserved in adobo sauce. These are commonly available even in big-box grocery stores, making them one of the easiest chipotle pantry staples to access. That being said, they have limitations in their use. Because the chipotles are sitting in a tomato-and-spice-based marinade, they bring flavours to a dish that would otherwise be absent when using the dried peppers alone. Additionally, they can’t be used in any setting that calls for ground or pulverized chipotles. With that in mind, they are a delicious and versatile ingredient, and are well worth experimenting with.