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Spicing food can feel like walking a fine line between delicious and dangerous. To heat enthusiasts, an extra kick is exactly what a dish calls for, whether it’s a splash of Tabasco or sprinkling of red pepper flakes—or grind of chiltepín. This ingredient is singular in flavor, incredibly hot, and unassuming in size. Let’s get to know it.
What is chiltepín?
While it might not look like a chile pepper, that’s exactly what chiltepín is. These small, berry-like chiles are taxonomically referred to as Chiltepín Capsicum annuum var. Glabriusculum, making them a close relative to other Capsicum annuum species like bell peppers and jalapeños. About the size of peppercorns, chiltepíns are first green before turning bright red as they mature in the fall. Once harvested, they are typically sun-dried before packaging.
“Chiltepín is often called the ‘mother of all chiles,’ and is believed to be where all chiles trace their genetic origins,” says Janos Wilder, a James Beard Award–winning chef and cookbook author based in Tucson, Arizona. First domesticated in central Mexico 6,000 to 7,000 years ago, the word chiltepín comes from the Nahuatl words chilli and tepin, directly translating to “small pepper.”
Unlike the more commonly used fresh and dried chiles at the store, chiltepín provides the convenience of a condiment like hot sauce or chile flakes. Carrying a small mill of chiltepíns with you can lend to an easy, quick hit of spice on the go. These tiny peppers also bring a lot of heat that dissipates quickly, unlike other chiles or hot sauces with a lingering burn.
Sun-dried chiltepíns are noticeably smoky, carrying a distinct earthiness that rounds out their powerful kick. The flavor is bold enough to make a statement in a range of dishes. Green, unripened chiltepíns are usually pickled, bringing a vegetal quality with subdued heat (plus brininess from the vinegar).
Where are chiltepíns found today?
Nowadays, chiltepíns grow wildly throughout northern Mexico and the American Southwest, with large quantities appearing in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. In fact, the Texas State Legislature declared this ingredient the state’s official native pepper in 1997.
In Mexico, the chiltepín plays a significant role in the cuisines of Sonora and Sinaloa. Having been harvested for 10,000 years by Indigenous communities, chiltepín is also known for its medicinal properties used in traditional ceremonies and remedies. The Mayo, Pima Bajo, and Tarahumara would use the chiles and their leaves to treat headaches, stomach aches, and rheumatism, whereas the Yaqui and Ópata peoples partake in traditional healing rituals that utilize dried chiltepíns.
Today in the United States, these chiles are a protected species in many national parks, mostly scattered around the American Southwest. “[In this region] it’s a heritage food and a protected food in places like the Coronado National Forest, Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument, and Big Bend National Park,” Wilder says.
In Sonora, the chiltepín harvest between September and October is a major event with family gatherings and some households temporarily migrating to harvesting camps to partake in the season.
How do you cook with chiltepíns?
I grew up in Arizona and my Sonoran mother stored chiltepíns in the depths of our spice cabinet for whenever we needed big heat in a pinch. But unlike with other chiles, such as jalapeños or serranos, my sister and I were raised to fear the chiltepín for being covertly dangerous.
These seemingly unassuming peppers were considered too potent for us to safely portion a serving or even handle with our bare hands. To some degree, our parents were probably right to monitor the chiltepín jar because mishandling these peppers can lead to some painful consequences.
Green chiltepíns are eaten as a condiment, pickled with other herbaceous ingredients that infuse the chiles. For example, make a chiltepín escabeche by mixing sliced carrots, Mexican oregano, cumin seeds, garlic, and salt for a briny-spicy side.
Sun-dried chiltepíns have far more applications, ranging from dairy to meat to seafood. After being crushed, the chiles can be mixed into cheeses, raw or fermented salsas, and marinades. They are also commonly incorporated into machaca, a northern Mexican shredded meat dish enjoyed at breakfast or inside a burrito.
“If you press sun-dried chiltepíns between your fingers, they should crumble easily. But you don’t want to do that either,” Wilder says. “Their natural oils will be released and burn your skin.”
Like with other hot chiles, handling them requires some caution, preferably while wearing gloves and avoiding touching your eyes or wherever the oils could wreak havoc. To explain just how hot these chiles are, they typically fall between 50,000 to 100,000 units on the Scoville chart. For comparison, jalapeños usually fall between 2,500 to 8,000 units.
“Do not eat chiltepíns on their own,” Wider warns. “Not only will you not get any of the chile’s flavor, but you’ll burn your tongue. It’s so hot you’ll just get the heat.” Instead, the chef suggests blending the chile with other ingredients to get the most out of its flavor.
“People like chiltepin on eggs because they’re soft and mellow. But they’re also great in olive relishes, raw salsas, and all sorts of meat and fish,” Wilder says. “This is not a one-dimensional ingredient, but you have to coax the flavor out of it.”
You’ll need to break open the chiles to expose their oils to your food. Some chiltepín fans (including one particular auntie of mine) carry around small pepper mills filled with dried chiltepíns for easy application. If you find yourself enjoying a soup, seafood, or salad that needs some heat, one turn (or two, if you’re daring) of crushed chiltepíns will do the trick.
Another method that’s more manual, but technically still portable, is the chiltepín molcajete. These mini mortars and pestles are traditionally made for these chiles and come in various handmade designs, sometimes sold at Mexican grocers.
Just thoroughly clean your spice mill after grinding larger batches of chiltepíns. No one wants an unexpected blast of heat in their freshly ground coffee.
Where can I buy chiltepíns?
Chiltepíns are commonly found in supermarkets across the Southwest as well as Mexican grocers or anywhere that sells dried chiles. If your local supermarket doesn’t have any, they’re usually easily found online. There is also the option to grow your own at home. Chiltepíns are cultivars, meaning you can grow them from seeds purchased at your local nursery.