Spice
Ancho
A tier
Ancho is the dried form of ripe red poblano—broad, wrinkled, deep burgundy pods with mild heat and sweet, raisiny, slightly chocolate-earth flavour essential to mole poblano and rubs. Toast lightly, soak, and blend into sauces. Ground ancho is a mild chilli powder base. Not a fresh pepper—buy pliable dried pods without mustiness.
Track this ingredient
Unit
Characteristics
Preparations
DriedFlakeFreshPickledPowderRoastedSauceSmoked
Traits
Dried PoblanoEarthyMildMoleRaisinRaisin NotesSweetSweet Earthy
History
MX
Drying ripe poblanos into anchos became Mexican pantry practice.
MX
Mole recipes institutionalised ancho as a base chilli.
MX
Commercial dried ancho trade expanded.
Global Mexican cookery made ancho a standard dried chilli.