The Guajillo Pepper is a variety of chili pepper. It is the most common species of pepper that is grown in Mexico. At maturity, the Guajillo has very thick and leathery skin with a brownish red color. The flesh of the pepper is rather thin with a flavor of spiced green tea with a hint of berries. Guajillo peppers are very large in size, often measuring up to four inches in length with an oblong shape.
Shopping for Guajillo
The Guajillo peppers are most usually offered dried in whole. They can also be found in powdered or paste form. Those that have been dried will require extensive soaking because of the skin that is thick and leathery. When individuals are purchasing paste, they should always read the label. Products containing large quantities of preservatives and other ingredients will have a horrid flavor. Paste should be made of all natural products and will need to be used quickly as it has a short shelf life. Guajillo pepper products may be hard to locate.
Not many supermarkets or grocery stores carry these. There are a few companies that manufacture spices where Guajillo powder is offered. This powder is made of ground up whole chili peppers. Most people prefer to purchase this pepper whole and dried. They commonly toast the pepper and then grind it into powder for seasoning and making sauces and pastes. Searching the many online pepper product retailers may prove beneficial in finding products of Guajillo peppers.
Preparation Tips
Individuals should use a damp towel to clean the Guajillo peppers before toasting them. This will remove visible dirt and dust. Before making a paste, the peppers should be torn open and the stem, seeds, and veins removed. This can easily be done beneath the running water of a kitchen faucet. To prepare the dried peppers for soaking, tear them into pieces and place in a large bowl. They should be given a lengthy soak prior to blending into a paste. To make a flavorful salsa, the dried pods should be seeded, thoroughly soaked, and mashed into a paste of thin consistency. The paste should be cooked after adding salt and other ingredients until a red, very thick, and delicious sauce is produced.
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