Make Yer Own Signature American Chili Powder, Pahdna

ancho American chili powder (with an "i") is to Southwestern American cuisine as curry powder is to Indian cuisine. Chili powder is an American spice blend made with ground chile peppers and other herbs and spices, and curry powder is also a blend of spices. Like curry powder, the actual blend can vary significantly from producer to producer. Both carry some heat, but there the resemblance ends. The flavors are very different.

chipotle The best American chili powders have multiple layers of heat and complexity that come from different kinds of chiles. It can be used in many recipes, from tacos to barbecue sauces, but it is the core of Chili Con Carne (chili with meat), the classic cowboy chuck wagon trail stew.

This is important, especially to readers in other countries: American chili powder is very differerent than chile powder (with an "e") in Mexico and most other countries.

In most other countries, chile powder is simply ground hot red chiles, usually just one cultivar, but occasionally more, and it is much hotter than American chili powder. In Mexico, if you mix chile powder with other herbs and spices it is called salsa en polvo(thanks to reader

Here's a simple recipe that beats the snot out of anything you can buy in a jar. It is a great opportunity for you to make your own signature spice blend. Want to add more chipotle or garlic powder, I won't stop you. Dried Scotch Bonnets? Why not?

Salt is almost always a component of commercial American chili powder in the US, but I have left it out of mine. I normally leave the salt out of my spice blends so I can use them on brined meats without oversalting them. Remember, you can always add salt, but you can't take it away. As background for this recipe, read my article, The Zen of Chiles.

Ancho is the backbone of most American chili powders because they are mild and have a unique raisiny/pruney flavor. Chipotles are smoked jalapeños with significant heat and elegant smokiness. Pasillas are between the two in heat, and chocolatey, but they are harder to find so if you can't locate any, just add more ancho. Sweet paprika is made from very mild red peppers, similar to the bell peppers we use in salads. Alas, most of the paprika in the grocery has little flavor. Look for a high quality fresh Hungarian or Spanish paprika. Feel free to swap out the other chiles for your favorites. Just be careful not to go too hot. The secret to award winning Chili Con Carne is a American chili powder that is complex and balanced.

You can buy powdered chiles, but the results are better if you grind them fresh. The size and weight of the average pod can vary significantly from store to store and from season to season. To help you plan, here are some conversions that are sorta average.

1 ancho weighs about 1/4 ounce before stemming and seeding, and makes about 1 tablespoon and 2 teaspoons
1 pasilla weighs about 1/4 ounce before stemming and seeding, and makes about 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon
1 chipotle weighs about 1/8 ounce before stemming and seeding, and makes about 2 teaspoons

Signature American Chili Powder Recipe

Preparation time. 30 minutes
Makes. About 1/4 cup

Ingredients
4 tablespoons powdered ancho chiles (dried poblanos)
2 teaspoons dried pasilla chile powder
2 teaspoons chipotle chile powder
4 teaspoons sweet paprika
1/4 teapoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1 teaspoon ground black pepper

About the peppers. You can use your own blend of other chiles if you wish. I think these create a complex blend that is not too hot.

Method
1) Start by putting the whole chiles in a 325°F oven or grill (indirect heat) for about 10 minutes or until they are no longer flexible and they crumble easily. Leave the oven door or grill lid open a bit so you don't knock yourself out with pepper gas when you open the oven (don't ask how I learned this).

2) Cut off the tops of the chiles with scissors and shake out the seeds. Poke around in the chile with a knife to get the rest. Don't worry if a few get left behind. With the scissors cut the chilis lengthwise into two halves, and then into chunks about 1" square. Grind the chunks in a spice grinder, coffee grinder, blender, or food processor. I usually use my coffee grinder, but remember to clean it thoroughly when you are done or you'll spend the night on the couch (don't ask me how I learned this). Let the cloud of dust settle in the grinder for several minutes before you remove the top or your cries of pain will be heard blocks away (don't ask me how I learned this).

3) Pour all the powdered ingredients in a bowl or jar and stir them all together. The blend will still be useable for about a year, but the freshness and potency slowly declines.

This page was revised 5/19/2012

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