Guajillo pepper pods are a widely used type of dried Mexican chili.
Guajillo , Capsicum annuum, are dried Mirasol peppers and a common ingredient in Mexican cuisine. They are sold as whole pods, ground into powder used as a single spice or mixed with other chili powders to create a more complex seasoning. Guajillo chili peppers are the second most used dried chili in Mexico after ancho peppers.
Identification
Guajillo chili pods have shiny, dark, reddish orange skins that are slightly translucent, thick and leathery. The best ones have uniform color from top to bottom of their slightly curved, tapered bodies, firmly seated stems and are free of cracks and spots. Guajillo chili pods range between 3 and 5 inches in length and have a width of about 1 inch at the stem end, the widest part. In some regions, guajillo peppers are labeled as chile trompa, elephant's trunk or travieso chile, which translates in English to naughty pepper.
Taste and Hotness
Guajillo peppers are considered moderately hot and are rated 2 to 4 on a hotness scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being fiery hot. Their flavor ranges from tangy to earthy, smoky and fruity, sometimes with a twinge of strawberry. Guajillo peppers are common ingredients in Mexican sauces, and are often used to flavor meat, poultry, soups, tamales, salsas, stews and dips. When guajillo peppers are mixed with ancho, de arbol or pasilla peppers, they add complexity and depth to conventional Mexican mole recipes.
Ground Guajillo Peppers
Wipe guajillo pepper pods with a damp cloth to remove dirt or dust. The peppers can be ground in a blender, grinder or food processor to create a seasoning powder, but remove the stems first. To bring out the most intense flavor, toast guajillo pepper pods in a heavy dry skillet on a stovetop or lightly toast them on a baking sheet in the oven before grinding. Watch them closely to prevent burning, which makes the flavor bitter and unpalatable.
Soaked Peppers
You can also soak guajillo peppers in water to extract their flavors and add the solution to recipes. Before soaking, toast and cool the peppers, run them under cold water and remove the seeds, stems, veins and membranes. Since their skins are so thick and tough, they take longer to soften than other dried Mexican chiles. To make a guajillo pepper paste, drain the soaked skins and puree. The puree can be stored for several months in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed jar.
Tags: Guajillo chili, guajillo pepper, pepper pods, chili peppers, dried Mexican