View source for Chipotle

{{short description|Smoke-dried jalapeño}}
{{about|the food item|the restaurant chain|Chipotle Mexican Grill}}
{{Infobox pepper
| image = Capsicum annuum chipotle dried.jpg
| caption = Chipotles of the ''morita'' variety
| heat = Medium
| scoville = 2,500–8,000
}}
A '''chipotle''' ({{IPAc-en|tʃ|ᵻ|ˈ|p|oʊ|t|l|eɪ|,_|tʃ|ᵻ|ˈ|p|ɒ|t|l|eɪ}} {{respell|chih|PO(H)T|lay}}, {{IPA|es|tʃiˈpotle|lang}}), or '''chilpotle''', is a [[smoking (food)|smoke-dried]] ripe [[jalapeño]] [[chili pepper]] used for seasoning.<ref name=Bayless>{{cite book
| first=Rick
| last=Bayless
| author-link=Rick Bayless
| author2=Deann Groen Bayless
| title=Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico
| year=1987
| pages=[https://archive.org/details/authenticmexican00bayl_0/page/332 332–334]
| publisher=William Morrow and Company, Inc
| location=New York
| isbn=0-688-04394-1
| url-access=registration
| url=https://archive.org/details/authenticmexican00bayl_0/page/332
}}</ref> It is used primarily in [[Mexican cuisine|Mexican and Mexican-inspired cuisines]], such as [[Tex-Mex cuisine|Tex-Mex]] and [[Southwestern United States]] dishes. It comes in different forms, such as ''chipotles en adobo'' (stewed in [[adobo]] sauce).

==Production==
Jalapeño pepper (a cultivar of ''Capsicum annuum'') is one of the most typical ingredients of Mexican cuisine.<ref name=Dewitt>{{cite book
| first=Dave
| last=Dewitt
| author2=Chuck Evans
| title=The Pepper Pantry: Chipotles
| year=1997
| page=[https://archive.org/details/pepperpantrychip0000dewi/page/n99 96]
| publisher=Celestial Arts
| isbn=0-89087-828-5
| url=https://archive.org/details/pepperpantrychip0000dewi
| url-access=registration
}}</ref> This chili pepper is consumed at the rate of 7–9&nbsp;kg per year, per capita.{{where?|date=August 2023}} It is mostly consumed fresh but also in different forms, such as pickled, dried, and smoked. Jalapeño varieties differ in size and heat. Typically, a grower passes through a jalapeño field, picking the unripe, green jalapeños for the market. Jalapeños are green for most of the season, but in the fall, which is the end of the growing season, they naturally ripen and turn bright red. In Mexico and the United States, there is a growing market for ripe red jalapeños (the last stage of maturation). They are kept on the bush as long as possible. When they are deep red and have lost much of their moisture, they are picked to be made into chipotles.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Moreno-Escamilla |first1=Jesús Omar |title=Effect of the Smoking Process and Firewood Type in the Phytochemical Content and Antioxidant Capacity of Red Jalapeño Pepper during Its Transformation to Chipotle Pepper |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0963996915301162 |journal=Food Research International |date=26 July 2015|volume=76 |issue=Pt 3 |pages=654–660 |doi=10.1016/j.foodres.2015.07.031 |pmid=28455049|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Smoking is a common technique of [[food preservation]] that provides a distinctive aroma and flavor and is traditionally carried out in a field open-oven.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Smoking as a food cooking method|url=https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/smoking_as_a_food_cooking_method|access-date=2021-07-30|website=MSU Extension|date=19 December 2016 |language=en}}</ref> The smoking process can affect structural, chemical and nutritional properties of food. Furthermore, the type of wood used in the smoking process impacts the resulting smoked food. The smoking of jalapeños dates back centuries and was mainly used by the Aztecs, who are thought{{by whom?|date=April 2020}} to have preserved the chilis by smoking them, a process they also used on meats. Chipotle production involves using firewood to dry and smoke the red jalapeño for six days in an open-smoker installation. The temperature is maintained between 65 and 75&nbsp;°C, using mainly [[pecan]] wood.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Ávila-Quezada |first1=Graciela D. |title=Physical and microbiological contamination of the smoked "chipotle" pepper during dehydration |journal=Revista Fitotecnia Mexicana |date=2009|volume=32 |issue=3 |pages=225–231 |doi=10.35196/rfm.2009.3.225-231 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

Traditionally, the peppers are moved to a closed smoking chamber and spread on racks. Wood is put in a firebox, and the smoke enters the sealed chamber. Every few hours, the jalapeños are stirred to mix in the smoke. They are smoked for several days until most of the moisture is removed. The moisture within the red jalapeño peppers slightly decreases from 88% to 81% during the first three days, but by the end of the drying process, the moisture level reaches a final value of 6%. In the end, the chipotles are dried and shriveled like [[prunes]] or [[raisins]]. The underlying heat of the jalapeños combines with the taste of smoke, forming a flavor distinctive to chipotle peppers. Typically, ten pounds of jalapeños make one pound of chipotles after thoroughly drying.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://themexchef.com/tag/chipotle |title=chipotle – The Mexican Chef |website=themexchef.com |access-date=2017-03-06 |archive-date=2018-04-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180407161134/http://themexchef.com/tag/chipotle |url-status=dead}}</ref> In recent years, some commercial producers have begun using large gas dryers and artificial smoke flavoring, which expedites the drying process but produces a less flavorful chipotle.

Other chilis can be smoked and dried for chipotle pepper, such as the [[bell pepper|bell]] or [[serrano pepper|serrano]] variety,{{citation needed|date=July 2023}} but smoked red jalapeños are most commonly used.

== History and etymology ==
The technique of smoke-drying jalapeños can be traced back to the early food preservation practices used in [[Mesoamerican cuisine|Mesoamerica]], even before the [[Aztecs]].
The name comes from the [[Nahuatl]] word {{lang|nah|chīlpoctli}} ({{IPA|nah|t͡ʃiːlˈpoːkt͡ɬi|pron}}), meaning 'smoked chili'.<ref>Francisco J. Santamaría, ''Diccionario de mejicanismos'' (Mexico: Editorial Puzo, 1978), p. 388.</ref> 
This form of chili was most likely encountered by [[Christopher Columbus]] on his trip to the New World and brought back to Spain, where it later spread to Europe, India, and beyond.{{Citation needed|reason=conjecture|date=August 2024}} Since the chilis are [[Smoking (cooking)|smoked]], this would have enabled them to survive the long journey across several oceans.

==Varieties==
[[Image:Chipotlestipicos.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Chipotles of the ''meco'' variety]]
Chipotles are predominantly sourced from Mexico, where two varieties are produced: ''morita'', which is most commonly found in the United States, and the larger ''meco'', which is mainly used domestically. ''Morita'' means "small mulberry" in Spanish and is grown primarily in the state of Chihuahua; it is typically darker in color with a reddish-purple exterior. They are smoked for less time and, in many cultures, considered inferior to the meco. The meco, also known as chili ahumado or típico, is grayish tan with a dusty-looking surface; some say it resembles a cigar butt. This pepper variation tends to be smokier in taste and is the preferred chipotle of many natives. They are sometimes referred to as chili navideño because they are reconstituted and stuffed to make a traditional dish that is most popular at Christmas time among Mexican locals. 

Chipotle grande is a smoke-dried Huachinango chili with a similar flavor profile; however, the chili is larger and higher in cost. Sold fresh at the market, this variation of the chipotle pepper will typically sell for three to four times as much as jalapeño. 

Many pair this spice with [[annatto]], [[cumin]], [[ginger]], [[oregano]] and [[tomato]] powder. Additionally, it is commonly paired with traditional dishes such as bean soup, pimento cheese, tomatillo salsa, fish tacos, and grilled flank steak. 

===Forms of chipotle===

Chipotles are purchased in numerous forms: chipotle powder, chipotle flakes, chipotle pods, canned chipotles in adobo sauce, concentrated chipotle base, and wet chipotle meat marinade.

Canned adobo sauce is the most common form in the United States of America, though its marinade or food preservative form originated in Spain. The marinade typically contains various spices, herbs, and vegetables, including tomatoes, onions, powdered dried chilis, garlic, and vinegar. ''Chipocludo,'' a term for preserving chipotles practiced in Central Mexico, refers to conservation in a jar of brown sugar and vinegar marinade. ''En adobo'' or ''chipotles adobado'' are denominations for seasoned canned chipotles in sauce.

==Use==
Chipotles impart a relatively mild but earthy spiciness to many dishes in [[Cuisine of Mexico|Mexican cuisine]]. The chilis are used to make various [[salsa (sauce)|salsas]]. Chipotle can be ground and combined with other spices to make a meat marinade – ''[[adobo]]''. Chipotle is used, typically in powdered form, as an ingredient in homemade and commercial products, including some brands of barbecue sauce and hot sauce, as well as in some chili con carnes and stews. Usually, when used commercially, the product is advertised as having chipotle in it.{{Citation needed|date=September 2016}}

Chipotles are spicy and have a distinctive smoky flavor. The flesh is thick, so the chilis are usually used in a [[Simmering|slow-cooked]] dish rather than raw. They can also be lightly toasted on a dry comal or skillet until they are fragrant and slightly swell. When overcooked, they can be bitter. For some traditional Mexican sauces, the toasted chilis would be sautéed in oil or lard before being pureed. The chilis can also be soaked in warm water or stock until they become pliable and then can be added to a dish. The different forms of chipotle can be added to soups, stews, and in the braising liquid for meat. They can also accompany beans, pickled vegetable mixes, scrambled eggs, or ''[[chilaquiles]]''. They can also be stuffed, baked, and added to cake or brownies. 

'''Nutritional value'''
{| class="wikitable"
|+
! colspan="2" |Nutritional data per 100 g (3.5 oz)
|-
|Energy
|1355 kj / 324 kcal
|-
|'''Carbohydrates''' 
|69.86 g
|-
|Sugars 
|41.06 g
|-
|Fiber
|28.7 g
|-
|'''Fat''' 
|4.36 g
|-
|'''Protein'''
|10.58 g
|-
|'''Vitamins'''
|
|-
|Vitamin A, IU
|26488 IU
|-
|Vitamin A, RAE
|1324 msg_RAE
|-
|Vitamin B (folate)
|51 mcg
|-
|Vitamin B<sub>3</sub> (Niacin)
|8.669 mg
|-
|Vitamin B<sub>6</sub>
|0.810 mg
|-
|Vitamin C (total ascorbic acid)
|31.4 mg
|-
|Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
|3.14 mg
|-
|Vitamin K (phylloquinone)
|108.2 mcg
|-
|'''Minerals''' 
|
|-
|Calcium
|45 mg
|-
|Copper
|0.228 mg
|-
|Iron
|6.04 mg
|-
|Magnesium
|88 mg
|-
|Manganese
|0.821 mg
|-
|Phosphorus
|159 mg
|-
|Potassium
|1870 mg
|-
|Sodium
|91 mg
|-
|Zinc
|1.02 mg
|-
|'''Other constituents''' 
|
|-
|Water
|7.15 g
|}

==See also==
{{portal|Food}}
* [[Ancho]] - The dried form of the [[Poblano chile|poblano chili]].
* [[Guajillo chile|Guajillo]] - The dried form of the mirasol chili pepper.
* [[Pasilla]] - The dried form of the chilaca chili pepper.
* [[List of smoked foods]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Mexican cuisine}}

[[Category:Chili peppers]]
[[Category:Mesoamerican cuisine]]
[[Category:Mexican cuisine]]
[[Category:Smoked food]]