Chiles Chipotles en Adobo: Preparation
Chipotle en adobo — smoked dried jalapeño rehydrated in a spiced tomato-vinegar sauce (adobo) — is the preparation that distributes chipotle's specific smoky heat profile globally through its canned form. The home preparation of chipotles en adobo — smoking and drying fresh jalapeños, then cooking them in an adobo of tomato, vinegar, cumin, oregano, and garlic — produces a product of significantly more complex character than the commercial version.
- **Smoking jalapeños:** Red jalapeños (fully ripe, with more sugar for smoking) smoked over pecan or oak wood at 70–80°C for 6–8 hours until dried and brittle. - **The adobo:** Tomato (charred), vinegar (apple cider or white), dried chillies (ancho, guajillo), cumin, oregano, black pepper, garlic — simmered 30–45 minutes and blended smooth. - **The chipotles in adobo:** Rehydrated smoked chipotles placed in the adobo sauce — simmered briefly until the chipotles are soft and have absorbed the adobo. - **Storage:** In glass jars in the refrigerator — keeps for weeks. Freezes well.
Mexico: The Cookbook