The best chiles for adding flavor and heat
We all know chiles bring the heat to a dish. But capsaicin, the tongue-numbing compound that gives chiles their signature burn, is both flavorless and odorless on its own.
But that doesn’t mean chiles are interchangeable. The many types of chile found in stores across Houston all have distinct flavors and aromas. Some are better suited for bright and acidic seafood dishes, and others lend a meaty depth to deeply savory preparations.
This week we’re giving you a guide to the best chiles to cook with, ones that will add flavor in
addition to heat.
Fresno
At first glance, fresno chiles, which are most often sold in a ripe red state, might fool you into believing they’re ripe jalapeños, having a somewhat similar shape and size. But these California natives are a different creature entirely.
Fresno chiles have thinner hulls than jalapeños and a bit more heat. They’re also noticeably fruity and sweet with a mild smokiness that’s amplified with cooking. Thanks to their striking color, these chiles will add both a visual and flavor pop to just about anything they touch.
Sliced rings of fresh fresno chiles will look and taste fantastic on many prepared dishes. They’re also ideal for blending into sauces. If you’re feeling ambitious, they’re excellent for pickling, fermenting or salt-curing as well. For a sweeter, fruitier and more showy variation on poppers, try substituting ripe fresnos for the usual green jalapeños.
Habanero
These are the most demonically hot chiles you’ll commonly find in stores. They also have one of the most unusual flavors under that inferno, with a bright fruity and floral aroma and surprising sweetness.
Habaneros grow best in steamy tropical climates like that found on the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, where the chile is believed to have originated and remains a staple on tables there. Not surprisingly, it partners well with acidic seafood dishes such as ceviche. It’s also commonly used in fruity salsas alongside tropical favorites including mango and pineapple. Some of that distinct flavor is lost when habaneros are cooked, so stick with cold dishes to get the most out of them.
With a scorching Scoville rating of 100,000 or more, habaneros require special preparation if you don’t want to meet a facemelting demise like “Indiana Jones” villain Major Thot. First, slip on a pair of latex gloves. Then slice into your habaneros and remove all of the seeds and pithy ribs. The remaining flesh will still be dangerously hot to use in any kind of quantity for most palates.
To further tame the burn, place the habaneros in a glass or bowl and pour over enough vodka (or tequila, if you like) to cover and let them soak. The alcohol will dissolve much of the remaining capsaicin. About 30 minutes to an hour of soaking should do the trick. Then take out the chiles and give them a rinse before using them. The soaking spirits can be used to make fiery cocktails or, if you’re feeling particularly devilish, a prank shot for your best frenemy.
Jalapeño
By far the most popular chile in Texas (it was named the official state pepper in 1995), the jalapeño is relatively tame in the heat department but brings an indispensable flavor to so many of our iconic foods. Jalapeños intensely vegetal with a taste and aroma akin to a concentrated green bell pepper, but with a spicy attitude.
Jalapeños are probably the most versatile chiles commonly found in stores here. In their raw form, they’re perfect for fresh salsa or sliced and diced into a hot accent for both cooked and fresh dishes, among other uses. For cooking purposes, you can use them in many of the same places you would bell pepper (trim out the seeds and ribs if you want to keep the heat down.) They make an ideal addition to a pot of chili, soups, stews, casseroles and more, and are pretty terrific on their own if you toss them on a grill.
And no Houston kitchen is complete without pickled jalapeños in the pantry. You’re probably already doing this if you live in Houston, but if not, try swapping out pickle slices or relish for pickled jalapeños on your next hamburger or hot dog to see why.
Though they are relatively small, jalapeños are also well suited for stuffing. We all know creamcheese-filled jalapeño poppers, but it doesn’t have to end there. The next time you have to whip up an appetizer tray, try filling them with sausage such as chorizo, shredded chicken, pulled pork, a mixture of black beans, corn and cheese, or just about anything else. Pop those into an oven and bake until cooked through, with or without bread crumbs or extra cheese on top.
Poblano
Among the largest chiles you’ll find in area stores, poblanos have some of the vegetal flavor of a green bell pepper but with a more savory and earthy, almost meaty, taste and texture. Spice wise, poblanos are fairly mild with a little less burn than a jalapeño.
And these guys were made to be roasted, which brings out an irresistible sweet and smoky flavor that’s key to many classic Mexican dishes. The roasting process starts with charring the outer skin, which is fairly thick and tough. Let the roasted peppers steam in a sealed plastic bag for about 15 minutes, then simply slip the charred skin off the flesh.
Because of their shape, size and relatively sturdy flesh, poblanos — either roasted or not — are the ideal chiles for stuffing. If you see chile relleno on a menu, it’ll almost always mean a poblano is being used, as both the dish and chile originated in Puebla, Mexico. They’re also well suited for soups and stews.
But Mexican food isn’t the only place this flavor shines. Try mixing roasted and diced poblanos into cornbread, blending them into ranch dressing for a spicy salad topper or making a pesto out of them with garlic and oodles of cilantro.
Serrano
A close if not equal contender to jalapeños for the culinary versatility award, serrano chiles are almost as important for what they don’t taste like — namely, that earthy taste and smell of green bell pepper. They’re bright and vegetal like a jalapeño but with more of a mild, clean grassy taste and fruity acidity that grows as they change from green to red. They’re also significantly hotter than jalapeños with up to five times the capsaicin.
In fresh use, serranos can go just about anywhere jalapeños can if you want a brighter flavor and more spice. They’re terrific in pico de gallo, sprinkled over soups, in guacamole, on top of tacos and more. Their clean flavor also plays well with fruit, particularly melons.
In cooking, serranos add fantastic heat and clean pepper flavor to many dishes, particularly sautéed vegetables where the bell pepper intensity of jalapeño might compete. Try tossing them in a skillet with calabacitas, fresh corn kernels or chayote. They also work well in a stew pot if you want to pump up the heat of chili or carne guisada.
Roasted serrano chiles are a force unto themselves. For a killer green salsa, roast serranos, tomatillos, onion and garlic together and blend that with fresh cilantro and lime juice.
Thai chile
Technically speaking, the term “Thai chile” is a bit of a misnomer as several varieties of chile go by that name in markets around the world. The variety most commonly sold in the U.S. as “Thai chile” is also known as the bird’s eye chile, although you’ll rarely find it labeled that way. They’re a small, slender and pointy chile with a potent vegetal flavor and a mild hint of fruit that gets increasingly sweet and tangy as they ripen and turn red.
Bird’s eye chiles also pack a whopping level of heat that’s about half the intensity of a habanero. As they’re incredibly tiny, it’s very difficult to remove the seeds and ribs where most of the pepper’s capsaicin is stored, but that doesn’t mean these chiles are only good for adding fire.
Bird’s eye chiles are frequently used both whole (with the stems sliced off ) and chopped in stir-fries, curries, soups and Thai-style salads, bringing both heat and their distinct flavor to countless dishes enjoyed across Asia. An effective way to harness their flavor while mitigating some of the flames is to slice the chiles and add them to tangy marinades and dipping sauces, where they’ll lend a decent amount of burn but the verdant taste can still shine through.