How to prepare chipotles in adobo is much easier than you think! This recipe for chipotles in adobo is inspired by one of my top favorite Mexican chefs, Yuri de Gortari. May he RIP. I thoroughly have enjoyed watching all of his videos on YouTube. His attention to detail and history behind the recipes and dishes is so informative and educational. His recipes are in Spanish, but they are so easy to follow. The legacy of chef de Gortari lives on through his recipes.
Caseros! Homemade! Doesn’t Get Any Better!
Many of us who cook Mexican recipes regularly are familiar with using chipotles in adobo for various recipes. The first few that come to mind are Tinga de pollo , tacos al pastor, camarones en crema de chipotle, and black bean, cheese and chipotle tamal. Those are just to name a few. Corn and flour tortillas infused with chipotle? Delicious! The easiest salsa I ever prepared was roasted tomatillos with chipotles in adobo! Two ingredients, not counting the salt!
Why Prepare Homemade When It’s So Easy To Pick Up A Can At The Market?
Why do we prepare anything homemade? Because it delicious and there is a sense of satisfation in the end. So much more rewarding too!
Sourcing Mexican Ingredients Is So Much Easier These Days!
As little as five years ago, sourcing good quality Mexican food ingredients could be a bit challenging unless you lived in a city with a large Mexican community. There are so many more ingredients available online in the past few years. Thank goodness! I recently purchase authentic quesillo, queso Oaxaca from a business/restaurant out of Los Angeles. It arrived quickly and there was free shipping! I couldn’t ask for anything more. Soon, I will share a blog post listing my favorite sites that I shop from for Mexican Ingredients.
I am Confused! You say Chipotle, But You Are Using Chile Morita!
There are so many dried chiles in Mexico, that I will probably never know all of them in my lifetime. This is why I seek the knowledge of people like chef de Gortari to guide me along the way. The dried chipotle peppers that I have worked with are larger and tougher than what you find in a can of marinated chipotles. The pepper of choice used is smaller and more red in color when rehydrated, chile morita. It’s spicy and exceptionally smoky. One of my top favorites to use in my recipes.
A Good Source For Dried Chiles Is…..
Toluca Foods Inc. mendocinospices.com Is an excellent source to purchase dried chiles online.
How To Prepare Chipotles In Adobo
Equipment
- Large heavy pot
- Blender
Ingredients
- 4 oz dried chile morita remove stems if any
- 1 liter water
Adobo
- 40 grams dried chile ancho, 2 large stems and seeds removed
- 20 grams dried chile guajillo, 2 large stems and seeds removed
- 1 liter water, plus 2 1/2 cups separate
- 18 grams fresh garlic
- Salt, to taste
- 3/4 cup olive oil
- 1/2 cup white vinegar
- 100 grams white onion
- 58 grams jalapeño, 1 large
- 158 grams roma tomato, 1 large
- 5 whole all spice
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp pepper
- 5-6 small bay leaves
Instructions
The Night Before
- Transfer chile morita to a medium sauce pan. Cover with 1 liter of water. Heat to medium. In a separate pot, do the same with the chile ancho and guajillo peppers combined. When the chiles come up to a simmer, shut off the heat, cover the pots and let them sit overnight.
Next Day Prepare Adobo And Finish Recipe
- In a large heavy pot, pour in 1/2 cup of olive oil and heat to medium.
- Drain the water from the pot that has the chile ancho and guajillo peppers. Transfer to the blender jar. Add the fresh garlic, 2 1/2 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt. Blend on high until very smooth.
- Once oil in pot is hot, pour in the sauce from the blender. Have the lid handy because the sauce will pop vigorously. Reduce the heat slightly and stir well. Reduce the heat to medium low and cover. Let it cook for while you prepare the next ingredients.
- In a large skillet, preheat 1/4 cup of olive oil to medium heat. After a few minutes, add the onions and jalapeño. Saute for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, Season lightly with salt and pepper. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes or until tomatoes begin to break down and release their juices.
- When ready, pour the ingredients from the skillet into the large pot with chile sauce. Stir well to combine. Drain all the water out from the softened chile morita, then transfer to the large pot with the other ingredients. Stir well. Taste for salt. Remember to season well, as this is an adobo and will be used as a seasoning for to add to other recipes. Cover 3/4 of the way and continue cooking on low for 35-40 minutes or until it reduces and thickens.
- Once chipotles have cooled, store in glass jars with a tight lid refrigerated. They will last for 6 months or more.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Would Love to Hear From You
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
In this recipe you keep saying “chipotle”, but you are using chile molita. My wife hates chipotles, but loves the adobo sauce they come in.
Are molita chiles less spicy and a little less smoky? I have not tried molitas before.
Thank you.
Chile morita is a variation of chipotle. There are others that are bigger, tougher, more brown, You don’t want to use those. If you watch chef Yuri de Gortari’s original YouTube video on chipotles in adobo, you will see that he uses these types of chile as well. The names of the chiles will vary from one region to another in Mexico. Chile morita is more smoky and spicy. I prefer them over what is sold already canned at the markets.