Chili vs Chile

There are a lot of Mexican and Southwestern recipes that come out of my kitchen and when searching my recipes, you’ve more than likely noticed the words chili, chile and maybe even chilli. Are they the same thing? Do they each mean something different?

Here in Colorado, we’re proud of our Pueblo Chile Peppers, and we can’t get enough of neighbor’s crops to the South, New Mexico Chile peppers. The grass is always greener?

We also like to eat Chili style soup. In this article, I’m going to explain how I use the words chili or chile in our Colorado culinary arena.

Chile with an “e”

The short answer is: The word “chile” with an e, in reference to food (rather than the country) refers to a capsicum pepper. A capsicum pepper, red or green chile peppers, or chiles for plural. Here in Colorado we acquire chile peppers grown in Southern Colorado and throughout New Mexico.

In addition, any hot pepper I refer to in recipes, such as Poblano, Jalapeno, Ancho, Pasilla, Serrano, Chile de Arbol, etc. are all chile peppers.

You’ll also find the word chile in recipe titles describing Southwestern dishes that use a lot of chile peppers like, Red Chile Sauce or Enchiladas with Red Chile Gravy. These dishes will feature a particular type of chile pepper, therefore the use of the words chile with an “e” appears in the title of the recipe.

Another great example is this recipe for Green Chile Stew, which is made with lots of green chile peppers, beans and potatoes It’s a stew, but not a “chili” soup.

Chili with an “i”

When we speak of “chili” with an “i”, we’re referring to a thick and rich chili soup style dish. Most people are familiar with Chili con Carne, (Spanish for Chili with meat) which is customarily made with ground or chopped beef. It can also include beans and spices. The blend of spices used to make chili type soup is called Chili (with an “i”) Seasoning.

However, New Mexico has a Chile Con Carne made with dried red New Mexico chiles or with a single red chile powder, herbs and spices. I’ve seen it spelled both as chili con carne and chile con carne.

Spelling Variations

There are other spellings you can see for chile peppers, such as chilli, chilly and chillie, chillies, chillies and of course, chili. From what I can tell, the spelling appears to be a cultural thing. For example, the spellings “chilli and chillies” are commonly used in the U.K., Europe and India to describe a capsicum pepper.

Chile Powder vs. Chili Powder

The spelling of these spices have a significant distinction in my recipes. Substituting one for the other will change the flavor outcome to something you totally unexpected. If you use the wrong spice mix.

What is Chile Powder?

Chile Powder is a single spice powder ground from dried chile (capsicum) peppers. It’s not the same as chili powder, or chili seasoning. When you look at the ingredients of chile powder, you should only see “chile peppers”, “dried red chile peppers” or “dried cayenne peppers”. Very seldom will you see a second ingredient unless it’s another chile pepper. Ancho (dried red poblanos), serrano, habanero, paprika, cayenne, Anaheim, mulato (dried brown poblano) are all chile peppers that can be found in chile powder form.

You can purchase green chile powders, or red chile powders.

You can also find smoked chile powders such as chipotle, which is commonly a smoked jalapeno pepper. You can also find smoked serrano, and smoked paprikas or unique hybrids such as murupi amerela, from Brazil and urfa biber, a pepper from Turkey. So many peppers to experiment with.

The different colors of chile powders could be due to the type of chile or the amount of seeds that are included when grinding the chile. The more seeds that are added to the grinding process, the lighter the color of the powder.

Chimayo Chile Powder

My choice when cooking with New Mexico Chile Powders lies with Chimayo Chile Powder.

Highly sought after and with an exquisite copper red color and a bold flavor, it simply can’t be beat.

The chile powder from the Chimayo New Mexico area in Northern New Mexico is a sweet, medium heat chile. It’s my chile powder of preference for my recipes, and I’m lucky to live close enough to the village of Chimayo to purchase it in locally. To read more about this highly prized chile, I like this article from The Chimayo Chile Brothers.

Be cautious of purchasing packages of chile powder labeled Chimayo Chile Powder. It only comes from Chimayo, New Mexico and comes with a pretty price tag. I’ve seen bags of chile powder labeled Chimayo that are selling for $3.00. I doubt this is authentic. Bags sold in Chimayo sell for $15 – $25.

In the village of Chimayo I trust purchases from the Trading Post next to El Santuatio de Chimayo. I’ve also feel comfortable with my purchases from Ortega Weaving in Chimayo.  The photo above comes from a location very near to the famous church.

• Pure Chimayo Red Chile Powder comes from Chimayo, New Mexico
• Chimayo Chile comes from a less common strain of pepper, called Capsicum annuum Chimayo.
• This distinctive smaller chile has been adapted to live in the high and dry arid climate of northern New Mexico.
• The chile is grown in small batches from original heirloom seeds passed down from generation to generation.
• The local families in Chimayo have been farming this strain of chile for over four hundred years.
• Chimayo Red Chile powder is wonderful in any Southwestern dish as it maintains its heat without being overwhelming.
• It’s excellent in soups, chili, stews, and sauces.

Chile powder comes from almost every corner of New Mexico, for example, the red chile powder from Southern New Mexico is redder, bolder and a meaty chile powder that works in Southwestern dishes like my Hatch Green Chili with Pork.

Each chile powder, whether purchased in Colorado or New Mexico, has a different flavor profile and, in many cases, a different heat level. And in New Mexico, where is where I get most of my chile powders, you can find chile powders from many different regions of the state.

Substituting Chile Powders

Subtituting one chile powder for another is usually simple, however at times it can be tricky. For example, cayenne and habanero powders are much hotter than most chile powders, so use these sparingly.

Most chile powders can be substituted equally. For example, if you see one of my recipes that calls for 1 teaspoon of New Mexico red chile powder, you could always substitute a serrano, aleppo, or ancho powder in equal amounts.

I don’t recommend substituting chile powder with chili powder. The only time to use chili powder is when making a Texas type chili soup.

Cooking With Chile Powders

As far as cooking with New Mexico Chile powders, I like to buy as many packages as I can and do taste tests. Have fun and enjoy paprika, smoked paprika, ancho, smoked serrano, and chipotle chile powders.

I like to reserve Cayenne in more southern inspired meals because of its heat level.

It’s fun using chile powders, and endless number of recipes that benefit from a little or a lot.

Chili Powder, or Chili Seasoning (with an “i”)

Chili Powder, with an “i” is a spice blend usually made from chile powder, garlic and onion powder, and perhaps cumin and other herbs and spices. Chili powder is used in Texas style chili recipes and a variety of chili con carne dishes. There are times that chili powder can be used as a substitute for chile powder, but not always. Because it is a spice mix, each brand of chili powder has its own flavor profile and all of them are quite different from a pure single chile, chile powder.

Chile Peppers

Colorado Chile Peppers, The Pueblo Chile Pepper

Most of the chile pepper crops grown in Colorado come from the Southern part of our state.

The majority of chile peppers grown in Colorado are Mirasol peppers. However, Big Jim varieties are also common. The name mirasol means “looking at the sun”. It grows reaching for the sun rather than handing down from the plant. And in dried form are called Guajillo peppers. This dried pepper pod is easy to find and commonly used in Mexican And Southwest Recipes.

The Pueblo chile pungency ranges between 5,000 and 20,000 Scoville Heat Units, the measurement method used to rank chile heat. Pueblo chilies are comparable in heat to moderate jalapeno peppers, and are usually a little warmer than cayenne peppers. 

The growing conditions in Southeastern Colorado make for some of the best chile available. Hot, dry, sunny summer days, combined with our rich soils and pure Colorado Rocky Mountain water yield some of the hottest and most flavorful chilies. Watch out for the little ones – I’ve been told they’re the hottest.

New Mexico Chile Peppers

There are several New Mexico chile varieties grown across the state of New Mexico. But the Hatch chile peppers are highly coveted. There is not a variety of chile called Hatch Chile”. Simply stated, for a chile pepper to be labeled “Hatch” it must be grown in the Hatch Valley in Southern New Mexico.

Known as Hatch peppers, these chiles are more than a single type. In fact, there’s a wide selection of sub-varieties grown in the Hatch Valley,  that fall under the title of “Hatch chiles” which gives Hatch peppers a wide swing on the Scoville scale. I like this article from the Hatch Chile Festival website explaining the varieties of peppers grown in the Hatch Valley.

The Native American Chimayo chile is a small chile, about five inches  long.  The lower part of the pod is bent and its stem top indents like a royal crown. The growing conditions in Chimayo New Mexico contribute to this chile pepper’s distinct flavor and identity. Just like wine, it’s all about the terroir.

If chile peppers are simply labeled as New Mexico Chile Peppers, they can come from any part of the state.

The town of Hatch, New Mexico (population 1,600) and the Hatch Valley region are home to some of the most coveted chile peppers on the market.

If you have ever lived in or visited New Mexico, you likely know that New Mexico chile peppers are part of the rich culture and heritage that the state is famous for. And of course they’re famous for their Hatch Green Chile Recipes.

Pueblo Chile vs Hatch Chile,

Compared to New Mexico Hatch Chile, Pueblo Chiles are bigger, meatier and hotter. And I’m here to say, has a more notable chile flavor.

Hatch green chiles are grown in the Hatch Valley in New Mexico about 500 miles to the South of Pueblo, Colorado. Each state believes that their unique growing conditions yield the better tasting pepper.

Pueblo chile vs. Hatch chile. There seems to be a bit of a rivalry between Colorado and New Mexico regarding the status of which state grows the best caspicums. However, when declaring a winner, it all comes down to personal taste. In other words, a debate that may never be laid to rest.

Are Hatch Chile Peppers Hot?

A variety of chile peppers are grown both in New Mexico and Colorado. Along with those varieties come a variety of heat levels. Hatch Chile Peppers and Colorado Chile Peppers will be labeled mild, medium, hot or even extra hot.

New Mexico “Red or Green”

In 1999, the New Mexico legislature adopted an official state question; “red vs. green chile”. If you have dined in a traditional New Mexico restaurant, you have likely been asked which type of chile pepper sauce you prefer, a red or green. If you’re not asked that question, more than likely its not traditional New Mexico cuisine, but rather Tex-Mex.

Basically, a red chile pepper is one that’s been left on the plant long enough that the pepper turns red. Most chile peppers are harvested as green. When you’re asked if you want “red or green” they’re asking if you want a New Mexico Red Sauce or Green Sauce. Or you can ask for both, which is referred to as “Christmas”.

Resources: Where To Buy New Mexico Chile Products

I’m fortunate with my geographical proximity to New Mexico and Southern Colorado. I can easily drive South to purchase and stock up on chile products.

To those of you who don’t have access and want to purchase Colorado or New Mexico chile products, fresh, dried or powders, please buy from companies that are located within these states. Unfortunately it’s been found that that some vendors sell “New Mexico chile products”, but the chile comes from outside of New Mexico. New Mexico has a state law that makes it illegal to knowingly sell chile or chile products labeled “New Mexico-grown” if the chile wasn’t grown in New Mexico.

Below is a list of New Mexico chile product suppliers. I am not endorsing these companies, it’s just a resource for you. So let’s start shopping.

• Hatch Chile Store: A family business who has been growing chile in the Hatch Valley since the beginning, literally! 5th generation descendants of Joseph Franzoy, the first commercial chile farmer in Hatch, New Mexico. They offer a large variety of products including roasted and peeled chile peppers, and a large variety of chile products. They ship fresh or frozen chiles to your door step.
• Made In New Mexico: An online store for New Mexico Salsa, Hatch Green & Red Chile powder and salsas. Handmade gifts, distinctive Spanish and Native American arts and crafts, tasty New Mexican foods, turquoise and silver jewelry, unique Southwestern-style home decor products, books about New Mexico, bath products, Ristras, Wreaths and other Chile products.
• Cervantes (for an assortment of chile products, sauces and salsa) – They also have a New Mexican restaurant In Albuquerque, New Mexico.
• Chile Monster: They provide Hatch chile, Lemitar chile, Tamales, Rellenos, Salsa’s, Seasonings, Tortillas, Biscochitos, Ristra’s, Cookbooks, Frontier Restaurant Products, Garcia’s Kitchen Products, Complete Dinner Packages from New Mexico, and New Mexico Gift Boxes.
• Chimayo Chile Brothers: Authentic New Mexico chili, chile powder, posole and blue corn.
• Hatch Chile Express: Owner Jimmy, is a third generation chile farmer with the legacy of being the son of Jim Lytle, the founder of the Big Jim variety of chile pepper. Their store offers shipping of frozen chile peppers, salsas, dried chile pods and jewelry.

Resources: Where to Buy Colorado Chile Products

• Musso Farms: Located just east of Pueblo, Co, in the Arkansas Valley, Musso Farms is a mass producer of chile peppers. They also run a store front and Farmer’s Market. They sell fresh chile peppers, chile powders, salsa’s and more. They ship to your doorstep.
• LuLu’s Farm: Located Northeast of Denver in Brighton, CO., Lulu’s offers a great selection of local fresh Colorado produce, when in season. They offer a good selection of frozen chile peppers, and dried chiles and chile powders. During pepper season, they operate a chile pepper roasting station to purchase fresh roasted Colorado grown and New Mexico Chile Peppers.
• The Chili Guys: Located on Federal Blvd, in Denver. The Chili Guys are the largest distributer of fresh and dried green and red chili in Colorado. During season they receive fresh peppers every 1 – 2 days fresh from farms. They specialize in Hatch Chile Peppers, and dozens of other varieties. Check out their on-line store for shipping information. They also carry pinon nuts, New Mexico style beef jerky and a variety of chile powders and snacks.

Chile Pepper Events

Both Colorado and and New Mexico celebrate chile pepper harvest in a big way:

The Chile and Frijoles Festival, Pueblo, Colorado

Held in September The Chile and Frijole Festival was created to promote Pueblo’s rich agriculture and encourage our community, and region, to buy local fresh products at any of the numerous farm stands and specialty shops available during the festival and year-round.

The event features live entertainment, street vendors, cooking competitions, and chilies, chilies, chilies! Held downtown along Union Avenue, the festival draws Pueblo residents as well as people from across the state and around the nation.

The Hatch Chile Festival

The Hatch Chile Festival is held in Hatch, New Mexico. Considered to be the “chile capitol of the world”, the festival is held on Labor Day Weekend at the Hatch Municipal Airport.

In Conclusion

Is it normal to get so obsessed with chile peppers? For us here in Colorado, it’s completely normal.

Each Fall, we celebrate the arrival of Hatch Chile peppers and our locally grown Pueblo Chile Peppers. Parking lots and roadside stands fire up their chile roasting drums and the aromas of New Mexico chiles fill the air.

We evangelize and we obsess. We talk constantly about them, we dig out our hatch green chile recipes, and we add chile peppers to almost everything we cook.

And we stock our freezers with baggies full of the roasted chile peppers.

With all of that information, I hope I’ve whet your appetite for recipes using Hatch Chile Peppers or Pueblo Pueblo Peppers in recipes. To learn more about recipes using chile peppers, check out the following posts here on my blog.