chilies

A guide to making classic tacos al pastor on the grill or in the oven.

Homemade Tacos Al Pastor Recipe

For the Pork:

ancho chilies, seeds

pasilla

chicken stock

vegetable oil

dried Mexican oregano

cumin seed

achiote powder

chipotle chili

white vinegar

garlic

salt

sugar

blade-end loin or sirloin pork roast

(1/2 pound) sliced bacon

To Finish and Serve:

pineapple, peeled, cored, and cut into quarters lengthwise

corn tortillas,

white onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)

cilantro leaves and tender stems

basic salsa verde salsa

limes,

Place chilies in a large saucepan over medium high heat and cook, turning chilies occasionally, until puffed, pliable, lightly browned in spots, and very aromatic, about 5 minutes. Add chicken stock (it should boil immediately), then pour contents of pan into a small bowl. Cover loosely and set aside.

Wipe out saucepan, add oil, and return to medium-high heat until oil is shimmering. Add cumin, oregano, and achiote and cook, stirring frequently, untila aromatic but not browned, about 30 seconds. Add chipotle chilies and sauce and cook until aromatic, about 30 seconds longer. Add vinegar, salt, and sugar and remove from heat.

Scrape contents of saucepan into a blender along with garlic and chilies with their soaking liquid. Blend on high speed until completely smooth, about 1 minute, scraping down sides as necessary. Set sauce aside to cool slightly.

Using a very sharp chef's knife or slicing knife, slice the meat as thin as possible. If necessary, place meat in freezer for 15 minutes to firm it up. Split the sides of a heavy duty zipper-lock bag. Place one slice of meat inside bag and pound with the bottom of a heavy 8-inch skillet or a meat pounder until less than 1/4-inch thick. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining meat.

Add marinade to bowl and toss with hands until every piece of meat is evenly coated in marinade.

Line the bottom of a disposable aluminum loaf pan with bacon. Add a layer of thin-sliced marinated meat. Continue layering in bacon and meat until all the meat is used up. (It may pile above the pan a little bit. This is ok.) Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 36.

To cook indoors: preheat the oven to 275°F. Uncover aluminum loaf pan and place on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Transfer to oven and cook until meat is completely tender (It will drip lots of fat), about 4 hours. Remove from oven, allow to cool slightly, cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

To cook outdoors: light half a chimney of charcoal and allow to preheat until coals are mostly covered in gray ash. Spread out under one half of coal grate, and place cooking grate on top. Alternatively, set one set of burners on a gas grill to low and leave the remaining burners off. Unwrap aluminum loaf pan and place directly over cooler side of grill, placing a drip pan underneath if desired. Cover grill and cook until loaf registers 180 to 190°F in the center, about 4 hours, adding more coals to grill or adjusting burners as necessary to maintain an air temperature of around 275°F for the duration of cooking. Remove from grill, allow to cool slightly, cover with aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

To Serve: Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove cooked meat from aluminum tray, scraping off any fat or jellied juices from its sides. Use a spoon to collect fat and juices from tray, reserving each separately. Using a sharp chef's knife or slicing knife, slice meat as thinly as possible to create fine shavings of meat and fat. Transfer to a bowl.

If fat from meat is solid, heat gently in the microwave or in the oven until melted. Transfer pineapple pieces to a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Brush with fat. Transfer to oven and roast until completely tender, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly.

About 10 minutes before pineapple is done roasting, transfer meat and 1 tablespoon of fat to a large cast iron or non-stick skillet. Heat over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, until meat crisps and deeply browns in spots. Add any reserved juices and toss to combine, allowing it to cook until reduced to a moist glaze. Transfer meat to a warmed serving bowl.

Chop roasted pineapple into large chunks. Serve meat and pineapple immediately with warmed tortillas, onions, cilantro, salsa, and lime wedges. Meat will be very moist and should be packed into double-stacked tortillas for serving.

Pickled the old-fashioned way, through fermentation, these green tomatoes are fermented slowly with hot peppers and garlic for plenty of good flavor.

Fermented Green Tomatoes Recipe

water

tomatoes

hot peppers (sliced 1/4-inch thick)

garlic cloves

Warm 2 cups water in a small saucepan, and then whisk in the salt until it dissolves.  Turn off the heat, and let cool to room temperature.

Place the tomatoes into a jar, and then add the hot peppers and garlic.  Pour the cooled brine over them, adding additional water to cover if necessary.  Place a glass fermentation weight over the tomatoes, and seal the jar.

Allow the tomatoes to ferment at least 14 days, and up to 6 weeks.  Taste the tomatoes periodically, and when they&#x27;re sour enough for your liking, transfer them to the fridge where they&#x27;ll keep at least 6 months.

Seasoned with fresh garlic this fermented hot  sauce is rich with flavor, bright and fiery. Use a variety of ripe, hot peppers for the best flavor.  Red jalapeños, cherry bomb peppers, Scotch bonnets, and aji amarillo chilis all work well, especially when mixed together.

Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe

Remove the tops from the peppers, and split them in half lengthwise. Pack a quart-sized mason jar tightly with the peppers, leaving about 1-inch headspace. Drop in the cloves of garlic.

Whisk the salt into the warm water until it dissolves. Pour the brine over the chiles and garlic.

Place a weight over the chiles and garlic so they remain submerged beneath the brine. Seal the jar tightly with an airlocked lid, and allow the chiles to ferment at room temperature 2 to 3 weeks, or until they smell and taste pleasantly sour.

Strain the brine and reserve it. Transfer the chiles to a high-speed blender. Add 1 cup of the reserved brine to the blender, and process until smooth. For a thin sauce, strain through a fine mesh sieve. For a thick sauce, simply spoon the purée into jars, thinning with additional brine as necessary.

Use right away or store in the refrigerator up to 1 year.

Can you make great chile verde without Hatch chilies? Yep.

Chile Verde With Pork Recipe

pork shoulder,

Kosher salt

poblano peppers

cubanelle peppers

tomatillos (about 15 medium), husks removed

jalapeño peppers, stems removed, split

cilantro leaves

large onion, finely diced (about 1 1/2 cups)

cumin

In large bowl, toss pork with 2 tablespoons salt until thoroughly coated. Set aside at room temperature for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, roast poblano and cubanelle peppers by placing them directly over the flame of a gas stove until deeply charred on all surfaces, about 10 minutes total. If you don't have a gas burner, you can achieve similar results under the broiler, or on an outdoor grill. Place peppers in a bowl and cover with a large plate. Let steam for 5 minutes, then peel under cool running water. Dry chilies, discard seeds and stems, and roughly chop. Transfer to bowl of food processor.

Preheat broiler to high. Toss tomatillos, garlic, and jalapeños with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Broil until charred, blistered, and just softened, turning once halfway through cooking, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to the food processor along with any exuded liquid.

Add 1/2 of cilantro to the food processor and pulse mixture until it is roughly pureed but not smooth, about 8 to 10 one-second pulses. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 225°F. Heat remaining oil in large Dutch oven over high heat until smoking. Add half of pork and cook without moving until well browned, about 3 minutes. Stir pot and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until well browned on all sides. Add remaining pork and onions and cook, stirring frequently and scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan, until onions are softened, about 4 minutes. Add cumin and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add chicken stock and pureed chilies to pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, cover, and transfer to oven, leaving lid slightly ajar. Cook until pork shreds easily with a fork, about 3 hours. Remove from oven and return to stovetop.

Skim off and discard any excess fat. Adjust to desired consistency by adding water or boiling and reducing. Stir remaining cilantro into pot and season to taste with more salt. Serve immediately with warm tortillas, diced onions, sour cream, cheese, cilantro, and lime wedges. Chili can be chilled and stored in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 5 days. Flavor will improve with time.

I'm known for going a little overboard with the food when I grill--actually, make that a lot overboard--leaving my guests little incentive to make their own.  I need to learn to cut back, because when people do come with their own creations, they tend to be eye-opening, like a Thai basil wrapped beef that graced my grill recently.

Thai Beef Rolls with Sweet Chili Sauce Recipe | Grilling

For the sauce:

lime juice

green onions

fish sauce

Sriracha

For the filling:

chuck (80% lean)

mint

Thai chilis

black pepper

Thai basil

skewers,

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved.

In a large bowl, gently combine the ground chuck with the rest of the filling ingredients.

Shape a tablespoon of the filling into a small log.  Wrap 1 basil leaf around the beef and thread onto a skewer.  Repeat until all of the filling is gone.

Light one chimney full of charcoal. When all the charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals out evenly over the charcoal grate.

Clean and oil the cooking grate.  Grill the rolls until the filling is fully cooked and slightly firm, about 6 to 8 minutes, turning once during cooking.  Serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

Fragrant, intense and full of fiery chile, this lamb stir-fry isn’t for the timid eater. For the most authentic flavor, it’s worth your while to seek out Sichuan peppercorns, which have a woodsy, tongue-numbing, camphor quality. (They are available at specialty spice markets, in Chinatown, or online.) You can substitute regular black peppercorns, but you won’t get the same punch. If you’re not a lamb-lover, you can also try this with lean beef. Serve this over white or brown rice to cut the heat, with a side of sliced cucumbers dressed with sesame oil and salt for freshness.

Cumin Lamb Stir-Fry

whole cumin seeds

Sichuan peppercorns

lamb

dried red chiles

white onion

(about 8) scallions, trimmed

peanut oil

garlic cloves, finely chopped

soy sauce

Chinese cooking sherry (Shaoxing rice wine) or dry sherry

cilantro,

Rice,

In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast cumin seeds and peppercorns until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle and crush lightly.

Slice meat across the grain into 1/2-inch-thick strips. Toss meat with crushed spices, ground cumin, salt and dried chiles.

Peel onion and halve it through the root end. Trim the ends and cut each half lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Cut white and light green parts of scallions into 2-inch lengths. Thinly slice scallion greens; keep separate.

Heat a very large skillet or wok over high heat until screaming hot, about 5 minutes. Add oil. Toss in onion and the scallion bottoms. Cook, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are lightly charred but still crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add lamb and chiles to skillet. Cook, tossing quickly, until meat begins to brown. Add garlic, soy sauce and sherry. Cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and lamb is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Toss in onions and scallion bottoms. Remove from heat and mix in cilantro and scallion greens. Serve hot, over rice.

Melissa Clark makes a restaurant-worthy stir-fry using toasted cumin and Sichuan peppercorns for bigger, spicier flavors.

This is a variation of a favorite Tamar Adler recipe. I made a variation of her sweet potato salad last year, which I also love, but I find this one with delicata squash to be so incredibly delicious.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Chilies, Lime &amp; Cilantro

delicata

extra-virgin olive oil,

shallot,

jalapeno

lime, halved

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Rub a small amount of olive oil over a rimmed sheet pan. Throw the squash slices onto the sheet pan, drizzle with the 3 tablespoons of olive oil, and season generously with salt — squash can handle it. (For a full sheet pan, I use 2 teaspoons of kosher salt.) Arrange the slices into a single layer. Place pan in the oven on the middle rack and cook for 15 minutes. Pick one up to check.  Continue roasting until the undersides of the squash slices are evenly browned, then stick the pan under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes or until the top is evenly golden—keep an eye on it the entire time. Remove pan from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, place the sliced shallot and jalapeño in a small bowl. Juice half of the lime over top. Season with a pinch of salt. Let it macerate while the squash roasts.

Arrange the squash slices on a platter. Scatter the macerated shallots and jalapeño over top. Scatter the cilantro over top. Serve with more lime wedges on the side.

Just fantastic! I added some fresh spinach at the end of the roast then added roasted seeds from the squash. My favorite seed to roast. Super easy.

Oh my goodness! We made this for dinner last night and couldn't stop talking about how AMAZING it is. So simple but the flavor profile is out of this world! I roasted at 425 - not 450. Thank you, Alexandra!

Wow! So simple to make, so wonderful to eat! Everyone raved over this dish.

OMG! Delicata delicious! Where has this squash been all my life??? Served over brown rice made for a perfect meatless Wednesday dinner. 

This recipe is dynamite. Perfect! have made for company 3 times and passed the recipe along to everyone present because people went crazy for it!

Kichri, a traditional Indian dish, is a delightful savory combination of dal and basmati rice cooked together. Lots of other cultures serve something similar: rice and pigeon peas throughout the Caribbean, or rice and brown lentils in many Middle Eastern countries. It can be served alone, with a dollop of yogurt, for breakfast or lunch, or as a side dish with grilled or roasted meats. Some cooks add more liquid for a kichri that is more on the soupy side. Sizzling the spices in ghee makes the kichri quite aromatic.

Kichri With Massour Dal

massour dal (split red lentils)

basmati rice

ghee

hot green chiles,

cumin seeds

cardamom pods

cinnamon

cloves

black peppercorns

onion,

turmeric

plain yogurt (optional)

Pick over lentils, then combine with rice in a medium mixing bowl. Add cold water and rinse several times, draining with a fine sieve, until water runs clear. Cover with cold water and soak for 1 hour, then drain well.

Heat ghee in a saucepan over medium heat. Add chiles, cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and peppercorns. Let sizzle briefly until cumin seeds begin to brown. Add onion, stir to coat and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

Add lentil-rice mixture, turmeric, salt and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil, cover and turn heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes, then let rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff mixture before serving. Accompany with plain yogurt if you wish.

This hot and spicy sauce only has a scary name like Dragon Fire Sauce; it most certainly isn&#39;t blow-your-head-off hot - not in small amounts anyway! This sauce has so many uses and tastes great on so many things! Also, it is great for clearing your sinuses!

Dragon Fire Sauce

garlic, (finely minced)

ginger, (grated)

red chili flakes

gochujang

honey

Add the vegetable oil, minced garlic, and grated fresh ginger to a small sauce pan.  Over medium heat, fry the garlic and ginger until fragrant.  Do not brown the garlic or ginger!  Once the oil starts to sizzle, only cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

Add the remaining ingredients and whisk until everything is mixed well.

Transfer to a food-safe, glass jar with a lid.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Sauce can be kept in the fridge for 7-10 days.

Nothing finishes a good Mexican recipe like a really great salsa.  While cooked and fresh salsas are wonderful, it's hard to beat the simplicity and impact of k'uut bi ik - a Yucatecan salsa made from dried chilies and Seville orange juice. This variation incorporates garlic and smoky morita chipotle to give it a deeper and more rounded-out flavour.

Smoky Dried Chili Salsa (K'uut Bi Ik)

g morita chilies ((~5 chilies))

g arbol chilies ((~15 chilies))

garlic (unpeeled (optional))

seville orange juice (or 1/4 cup each orange, lime, and grapefruit juice)

tbsp white vinegar ((see note))

salt (to taste)

water (or as needed for final consistency)

(Optional - skip if omitting garlic) Thread the cloves of garlic onto a metal skewer, then carefully roast/blacken them over an open flame (I use a gas stove, but you could use a barbecue too).  If you don't have a flame source, you can blacken the cloves in a very hot cast iron pan instead.  The idea is to thoroughly char the cloves, but not to roast them all the way through.  Set the charred garlic aside to cool.

Remove the stems, seeds, and membranes from the dried chilies.  You may find it easier to do this after toasting; I personally shake out the seeds before and after to remove as many as possible.

Toast the chilies by either adding them to a hot frying pan for about 2 minutes (turning occasionally), or by microwaving them for 20-30 seconds.  The toasted chilies should be pliable and very fragrant.

Place the toasted chilies in a small bowl along with the Seville orange juice (or citrus substitute), vinegar, and salt.  Soak for about 10 minutes.

Peel the garlic (if using) and combine with the chilies, juice, vinegar, and salt in a blender, spice grinder, or mortar and pestle.  Blend/pulverize until the salsa is uniform.  Add a little water for a thinner consistency, if desired.  Let the salsa sit for 20-30 minutes if possible in order to balance the flavours.

How to make red chili paste using just 4 ingredients, including a home canning method for long-term storage! This red pepper paste makes for a versatile condiment/ingredient to add to meals, sauces, marinades, and spreads.

How to Make Red Chili Paste (+ Water Bath Can It)

chili peppers peppers

olive oil

Tbsp vinegar (I use apple cider vinegar, which is slightly sweet)

Wash and pat dry the peppers of your choice.

Slice the peppers in half and remove the stems and seeds (I like to keep some included, to add extra spice - so adjust this to personal preference. Any unwanted seeds can be left to dry out and be planted).Make sure to wear gloves when dealing with peppers and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth area when dealing with chilies. If you have no gloves, at least oil your hands before using them, which can create a slight natural barrier.Then rinse the sliced peppers.

Step 1: Prepare the peppers

Transfer the peppers to a large pot covered in water and bring to a boil. Then cook over high, covered, for 25-30 minutes.

When the peppers are cooked, drain them thoroughly then squeeze out any excess liquid. I like to do this by adding the peppers to a nut milk bag inside a sieve and then place something as a weight over the peppers to naturally press out the excess liquid. I used a large jar filled with rice (After cleaning the bottom of the jar) topped with a couple of books.Allow it to drain naturally for several hours (or leave overnight).

Step 2: Boil the peppers

Transfer the pressed peppers to a food processor, blender, or even meat grinder/food mill and process into a paste. I pulsed just a few times into a slightly chunky paste - but feel free to make it completely smooth.If you want to remove the skins, do so before processing and they should come off fairly easily. Alternatively, if using a meat grinder/ mill, it will automatically filter out the skins. Note that 4.4 lb/2 kg raw peppers, once cooked and drained, yield about 1.67 lb/760 g).

Meanwhile, sterilize your glass jar/s - wash it in hot soapy water and then either place in the oven for about 10 minutes at 165ºC/325ºF to fully dry OR leave to boil for 10 minutes in your canning pot (then dry out with a clean kitchen towel before adding the chili paste).

Step 3: Process the peppers

Transfer the red chili paste to a large pan with the salt, oil, and vinegar. Then heat, stirring often (with a sterilized nonreactive spoon), to bring the mixture to 167ºF/75ºC. This step is important to kill off any remaining bacteria and make this red pepper paste safe for water bath canning (raw chili peppers must either be pickled or will need to be pressure canned, so don&#39;t skip this step if you plan on canning the chili pepper paste).

At this point, the red pepper paste is ready to use immediately and transfer to the fridge or go through a water bath canning process for 12 months of shelf-stable storage.

Step 4: Heat the pepper paste

Once ready, follow the steps for canning (read the post for all the top tips and details for best results): transfer the chili pepper paste to the sterilized and dried jars, wipe off the lip to make sure it&#39;s completely clean, and close the jars.

Transfer to a large canning pot with a rack and half-filled with boiling water. Add the jars (making sure there is an inch of water above the jars - top up with boiled kettle water if needed), bring back to a rolling boil. Allow to process in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow the jars to rest for a further 5 minutes.

Carefully remove the jars from the canner, placing them on a kitchen towel-lined surface, and allow them to sit undisturbed for 24 hours (don&#39;t touch them at all during this time, especially the lid area).

After 24 hours, check that the jars are all fully sealed then label and store in a cool, dark location.

Step 5: Water bath can the red chili paste (optional)

There are two methods I&#39;ve used for non-canned chili paste including a raw and reduced version. While you can follow the above method and simply store it in the fridge, for non-canned versions, you can follow a process that&#39;s even simpler (and avoid boiling and pressing the peppers).Raw: for a raw version of this, you can use this method for chili sauce - called sauce as the consistency is thinner.Cooked: after blending the paste for the raw method, heat some oil in a large pan and then add the chili paste, cooking over medium for a few minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for at least an hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes. This will last 1-2 weeks in the fridge.Either way, still add the red pepper paste to a sterilized jar for the best shelf-life.

Non-Canned versions

Canned version: for the canned red pepper paste, you can store the processed and sealed jars in a cool, dark kitchen cupboard or pantry for up to a year!If you don&#39;t want to can this version, you can store it in the fridge for between 1-2 weeks.Non-Canned versions: these will last in a sterilized jar in the fridge for between 1-2 weeks (the shelf life is improved with salt and vinegar). You can also top the jars with a thin layer of olive oil to help improve shelf-life further.You can also freeze the hot chili paste for between 3-4 months, stored either in a freezer-safe jar, portioned into an ice cube tray, or even in a ziplock bag (excess air removed).

How to Store

Make and boiling water can (or freeze) this Rotel copycat recipe at home using fresh, simple ingredients - it's truly like the real thing!

Top 14 chilies recipes from across the web

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Top 14 chilies recipes from across the web

The most viewed chilies recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Homemade Tacos Al Pastor Recipe

Fermented Green Tomatoes Recipe

Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe

Chile Verde With Pork Recipe

Thai Beef Rolls with Sweet Chili Sa...

Cumin Lamb Stir-Fry

Roasted Delicata Squash with Chilie...

Kichri With Massour Dal

Dragon Fire Sauce

Smoky Dried Chili Salsa (K'uut Bi I...

How to Make Red Chili Paste (+ Wate...

Canned Tomatoes &amp; Chilies: Rote...

Canned Rotel Style Tomatoes

Blistered Green Beans

The most viewed chilies recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Canned Tomatoes & Chilies: Rote...