Chipotle Morita Chiles, De-stemmed / lb.

Chipotle Morita Chiles are one of two varieties of chipotle chiles: chipotle morita and chipotle meco. When picked early in the season, jalapeños are green – it isn’t until late in the season that the jalapeños lose most of their moisture and begin to turn red. After the ripe jalapeños are harvested, they are then dried and smoked, turning them into chipotle chiles. Allowing the jalapeños to ripen fully gives chipotle chiles an inherently fruity-sweet flavor since the chile has more time to create and store sugar.

Chipotle morita chiles average about 1-1/2 to 3 inches in length, 1/2 to 1 inch in width, and have a deep reddish-purple color and smoky-fruity flavor. Their heat level is mild to medium, ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 Scoville Heat Units, which is comparable to guajillo and mild serrano chiles. Chipotle moritas are also smoked for less time than chipotle mecos, which allows them to retain much of their sweet, fruity flavor.

 They can be used whole, chopped, sliced, turned into flakes, or ground into powder.