New Mexico Chile Pods, Red

New Mexico Red Chile Pods

Flavorful and packing a little heat, New Mexico Red Chile Pods are the dried form of the Red Anaheim Pepper. They register on the Scoville heat scale between 1,500 to 2,500 units but are relatively mild compared to their hotter counterparts, the New Mexico HOT Red Chile Pods. While not hot enough for the thrill-seeking “chileheads” who like extremely spicy chiles, they are just the right amount of heat for those who don’t want to sweat while eating.

New Mexico Chiles are dark brownish or maroon. The skin on this chile is thin. They are elongated and tapered measuring between 5 and 7 inches high and 1-1/2 inches wide with an earthy flavor and wild cherries undertones.

What makes chiles hot anyway? That would be capsaicin. This compound secretes the strong spice through glands from the pith or the white core inside the chili that seeds grow from. You have to remove the pith if you want to remove the spice. The sweet underlying cherry flavor comes from the body of the chile and the spice, the inside.

Chile sauce is the first thing that comes to come when thinking of New Mexico Red Chile Pods. They provide a kick without overpowering the chile’s flavor. Change it up and make a Hazelnut Mint Romesco by blending filbert, mint, garlic, oil, lemon, and sherry with New Mexico Red Chile Pods and sweet red peppers. These mildly spicy pods are palatable in enchilada sauces and meat and bean chilies. They also make a great homemade chili powder when ground whole. Add it to other spices for a secret blend.

Keeping some at home? Our 1 lb bag is ample. For restaurateurs purchasing wholesale in bulk, we have 5 lb bags and 25 lb cases.