Did you know that a Morita chile is really a smoked ripe jalapeño?
Morita chiles are similar to Chipotle peppers in this respect, the difference being that Moritas are mildly smoked for less time than Chipotle peppers, so they are softer and they maintain their subtle fruity characteristics while developing a rich chocolatey aroma.
Dried and crushed Morita chiles are ideal for use in soups, stews, beans, and chilis. Morita chiles can be used instead of Chipotle peppers in recipes.
Moritas are made from smoking ripened red Jalapeño peppers (Jalapeños turn red at their ripest stage). To make your own Moritas from homegrown Jalapeños, leave them to ripen fully to red on the plants. Then you can use a smoker to smoke the peppers. The most important ingredient to making Moritas is the smoke. Use fruit woods, or hickory, oak, and pecan (the Mexican traditional wood). Keep the fire smoky but low, maintaining a low temperature while still producing smoke, the trick with smoking Moritas is to avoid cooking them. It can take up to 48 hours to smoke and dry the peppers.
Salsa de Chile Morita Recipe
- 6-8 Morita chiles, remove seeds, soak 20-30 minutes to soften
- 3-4 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sugar (optional)
- Sea salt
Grow Jalapeño Seeds:
Grow your own Jalapeño seeds in your garden and enjoy them in salsas, hot sauces, and other recipes. We have lots of different Jalapeño seed varieties, including Orange Jalapeño Seeds and Yellow Jalapeño seeds!
