Chilis of Mexico, North & Central America

The Chilis of Mexico dominate the continental regions of North and Central America, with very little overlap with South America. It is from Mexico and Central America that the Spanish took Chilis to Europe, while from Brazil the Portuguese took Hot Chilis to the rest of the world.

A few Chilis are found only in North and Central America, but not many, and those regions are too overwhelmed by Chilis from Mexico to support separate pages, so they are included here. Some of the Chilis listed here are types that have returned to the Americas after passing through Europe, and are widely grown here.

More on Chili Peppers.

• Chilis - Fresh & Dried
• Chili Powders & Flake

Chili Varieties - Fresh & Dried

Anaheim

Fresh green (Anaheim) or red ripe (Chili Colorado) or dried red California), 6 to 11 inches by 2 inches. They are quite mild at (H2) They are were originally brought from New Mexico to much more populous California and were renamed. They fit the "Long Green" description, but some other chilis do also.

These chilis are most common green but red ones are becoming more common here in Southern California. Both Red and Green have a taste and sweetness similar to Bell Pepper but with a bit of a bite to them. They are fine to eat raw as well as cooked. I have been keeping Anaheim / Colorados in my fridge lately because the will still be good long after Bell Pepers have turned to rot, very important during COVID lock-down.

Anaheims are said to be somewhat milder than their New Mexico relatives but hotness varies. They are often used by restaurants for Chili Rellenos and other recipes that should be made with Poblanos because they are large enough to stuff, available, low cost and because Poblanos can sometimes be hotter than they think their customers want. The Anaheim lacks the dark flavor of the Poblano, but is otherwise a fine chili.

Ancho

Dried black H1-H2, 2 to 4 inches. This is the dried from of the Poblano, (shown to the left) and is one of the sweetest and most flavorful of the dried chilis. They are often used in Mexican sauces and recipes, often in combination with other dried chilis. They are sweeter, hotter and brighter in flavor than the Mulato which has a very similar in appearance.

Banana Peppers

This name covers a number of similarly shaped waxy yellow peppers which may vary in heat and color, but they are most commonly yellow and of very moderate heat (H1). The ones commonly sold under the name here in the Los Angeles region mostly thick walled (much thicker than Hungarian peppers) and elongated with thin skins. They are very much like yellow Anaheims, but not as hot - good for roasting, stuffing or in recipes where Bell Peppers just aren't quite spicy enough or too strong in flavor. In contrast, those sold around here as "Yellow Wax Peppers" are usually much hotter. The photo specimens were typically 7-3/4 inches long and 1-7/8 inches diameter at the big end.

Bell Peppers

Green when unripe, red, yellow, orange, purple, white, pink, etc. when ripe. These are always sold fresh, and are only dried for use as industrial food additives. Box shaped to heart shaped, these large (up to 5 inches across) chilis feature thick, crisp and flavorful flesh with no heat (H0), making them popular in nearly every cuisine worldwide.

Wikipedia says the Bell Pepper originated in Szeged, Hungary in the 1920s, and the USDA records the first commercial crop in the southeastern USA in 1925. On the other hand, Lionel Wafer wrote in 1699, "Bell pepper is a large, fleshy mild green pepper, turning into red or gold when fully ripe". Further, Thomas Jefferson recorded receiving Bell Pepper seeds from Mexico in 1824, and the Boston Cooking School Cookbook of 1896 has a recipe for "Stuffed Peppers" calling for "6 green peppers", so they must have been very well known at that time. In these peppers, the gene for producing capsaicin is replaced by a recessive form, so they lack the sting of other chilis. Mexibelle is a variety where this recessive gene has been overwritten by one that works, so the Mexibelle has a mild degree of hotness.

Striped Holland Pepper / Aloha Pepper® #3465

[Capsicum (British), C. annuum]

This Bell Pepper was discovered in the Netherlands. It is now marketed in North America by Sunset as tropical "Aloha Pepper", even though it has nothing whatever to do with Hawaii or the tropics. Surprisingly, they taste just like Bell Peppers, and with heat ( H0). They can be eaten raw or cooked, and do retain their stripes when cooked.

Baby Bell Peppers

Fresh red, green, yellow and orange, H0. These look a lot like Gypsy Peppers and other frying peppers but have much thicker walls, more flavor and are usually very sweet. The photo specimens were 4-1/2 inches long, 2-1/4 inches across and weighed 3-1/4 ounces.

Bird's Eye Chilis / Bird Chilis

A generic, almost meaningless term for small, usually very hot, chili pods. A few insist the name applies only to some very tiny spherical Southeast Asian chilis, much like American Chiltepins or South American Aji Charapita. Others include those that ripen point up, and are eaten and dispersed by birds, mostly C. frutescens, like the Piri Piri of Brazil and Africa. This is the definition I favor.

Others also include hot chilis like the Thai Chilis we grow in California, which are small and hot, but are C. annuum and ripen point down. Wikipedia insists that only this category are "Bird's Eye Chilis", a defenition with which I do not agree. All-in-all, at least 50 varieties worldwide are called "Bird's Eye Chilis", particularly in Africa, Asia, and Central and South America.

California

Dried red, 4 inches to 8 inches long and 2 inches in diameter, H2. California chilis are usually dried red Anaheims but can be a number of similar varieties. They can be used in mild Mexican sauces and are a major ingredient in California Chili Powder. Subst: New Mexico Chili.

Canario

Carolina Reaper

Originating in South Carolina in 2012, this chili still holds the world record for hotness (2020). Depending on growing conditions, these range from Scoville 1,150,000 to over 2,200,000.   Photo by Dale Thurber distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike v3.0 Unported.

Cascabel

Normally sold dried red, these are smallish round or heart shaped chilis up to about 1-1/2 inches diameter. They are used mostly in Mexican cooking, giving sauces a nutty flavor, and are readily available in the US Southwest. Moderately hot (H5).

Cayenne

Originating in French Guiana, this famous chili has been used to make the Cayenne chili powder used in many cuisines - except that powder is at least as likely to be made from some other variety and just labeled "Cayenne". Today there are many cultivars worldwide, but the Cayenne pod is generally long and thin, up to nearly 10 inches, and often curved at the tip. It is quite hot (H8).

Cherry Pepper

Cherry Pepper - Hot

Fresh red spherical to slightly pointy, 1 inch in diameter, H0-H1. Cherry peppers are used for salad plates and mild pickles. Hot Cherry Peppers look exactly the same but will knock the socks off the unwary at H4 or hotter and can be used same as Fresnos.

Chilaca

This pepper is fairly mild, H2 to H3, though can sometimes be a little hotter. It is also called Pasilla, but that is properly the dried form. Unfortunately fresh Poblanos are often mistakenly called Pasillas, adding to the confusion. This is a medium thick fleshed chili with a slightly smoky flavor similar to a Poblano, but not as intense. The largest of the photo specimens was 1-1/4 inches long and 1-1/8 inches in diameter at the big end.

Poblanos are often called "Pasilla" in error so be sure which a recipe actually calls for - if it's for stuffing it probably actually wants Poblanos. Subst: Chilacas are rather scarce here in Southern California, but for many recipes Poblanos can be used. They are thicker walled, more intense in flavor, and heavier, so adjust as needed.

Chilhuacle

This chili is native to Oaxaca, and seldom seen in other parts of Mexico as it grown only in one valley in Oaxaca. It is available in black, red, and yellow varieties (Negro, Rojo, Amarillo). The Rojo is used for Mole Coloradito. The Negro is important for Oaxacan Mole Negro sauce, though it has been somewhat displaced by the Ancho (which tastes a lot similar) due to cost. The photo examples are the Negro. They are heart shaped up to 2.5 inches diameter, and are very low heat, about ( H1), wth very good flavor.

Chilly Chili Hybrid

This new variety of ornamental chilis is "child safe" - the fruit has chili flavor, but no chili hotness at all. They look fierce, so you can challenge horrified friends to eat one, then eat one yourself to their amazement. You can scatter them over salads for decoration. The chilis grow to 2 to 2-1/2 inches long and up to 3/8 inch diameter, going from greenish to yellow to orange to red as they ripen. These plants are very prolific, but grow to only about 12 inches high. They like full sun. The photo specimen was purchased in late September 2018.

Chiltepin

These tiny (up to about 0.35 inch dried) but intensely hot (H9) chilis possibly arose in Bolivia and southern Brazil, and were scattered throughout Central and South America and the Caribbean by birds long before humans invaded the Americas. They are found as far north Arizona and New Mexico and are still harvested wild (thus are quite expensive - 2022 U.S. $11.96 / ounce in 1/4 ounce bags). They are valued for their heat, complex flavor and medicinal uses. Their intense heat is sudden, but not long lasting, while that of the related Pequin builds more slowly but lasts longer.

Chipotle

Pronounced Chee-POT-lay, this is a smoked Jalapeño. They are widely used in the cuisines of Mexico, particularly Yucatán. Chipotles will generally be somewhat less hot than the Jalapeños, so figure around H4-H5. For details see our Jalapeño, Chipotle & Morita Chilis page.

Cobánero

Named for the city of Coban in central Guatemala, these tiny bird chilis have been the chili of choice in the region since Mayan times. They are used both fresh and dried smoked. The dried smoked are particularly used for making sauces. Being smoked, they are similar to Chipotles but are considerably hotter. The dried chilis are typically 0.60 inch long by 0.38 diameter, with hotness about H6, but fresh ones would be hotter. The photo specimens were purchased from the Central American section of a large Hispanic market in Los Angeles (Burbank) - 3 oz for 2016 US $1.69.

Colorado

(Chili Colorado) - A red ripe Anaheim Chili.

Costeño Rojo

The mame "Costeño" is not specific, and can refer to coastal chilis from the Atlantic or Pacific coasts of southern Mexico. It most commonly refers to a varity from the Pacific coast in the Oaxaca region. There is also a Costeño Amarillo, but it is very rare. This is a thin fleshed Chili noted for its complex fruity flavor and moderate heat (H6), which varies from one chili to the next - I have encountered some way below H6. In dried form they are up to 5 inches long and 1.5 inches across the big end.

Cubanelle / Italian Frying Pepper

[C. annuum]

This Chili is said to have been brought from southern Italy in 1887, and is now very much favored in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. They are called for in many recipes, but are not at all available here in Southern California, or in many other regions of North America, so Substitutions must be made. Cubanelles are usually very mild, solidly within hotness H1, but they can occasionally get to the high end of H2. They are usually harvested while still yellow-green, but turn bright red if allowed to fully ripen. They have rather thin walls and grow to about 6 inches. For details and substitutions, see our Cubanelle Chilis page.   Photo by United States Department of Agriculture = public domain.

de Arbol

Meaning "Tree Chili", de arbols are grown primarily in Mexico but are common in dried form (and less common fresh) north of the border. Shown are fresh green, fresh ripening and dried red. It is a fairly hot chili (H7), 2 to 5 inches long and easily recognized from it's long, slender, sharply pointed shape. Dried de arbols are excellent when you want a bit more heat than the commonly available Japones provide but not so much as dried Thai bird chilis.

Diente de Perro

Very popular in Guatemala, this chili is quite hot at about H8. It is related to the Tabasco Chili and Grows to about 1-1/4 inch by 1/4 inch diameter, ripening from green to red. Some claim the Diente de Perro is a cayenne shaped C. annuum chili up to 3 inches long, but I reject that based on photos and text from Guatemala, and that those don't look anything like a dog tooth or hen beak   Photo borrowed from Chili Globe until until my plants set fruit.

Fresno Chili

This is the chili chosen by all ethnicities in Southern California as the medium hot fresh red chili suitable for their cuisines - and I have recently seen them listed in European chili lists. They are about hotness H4-5. Core and seed them, but leave in the membranes (where the heat is) if you want some heat. With the membranes carefully removed they have little heat. They have good flavor, and the walls are quite thick, so they are not dried. For details see our Fresno Chilis page.

Guajillo

Dried red Mirasol chilis, 4 to 7 inches by 1-1/2 inches and moderately hot (H3-H4), this chili is notable for its smooth skin and the flavor of chocolate. It is used in a number of Mexican sauces and as a substitute for Chili Negro which is harder to find.

Guatemalan Insanity Pepper

[Quetzalacatenango Pepper; C.halucia]

This one does not actually exist, but is taken from a famous cartoon episode where Homer Simpson eats some of these chilis and is taken on a mind altered trip. Hotness is probably between that of a Naga Jalokia and Carolina Reaper (about 2,000,000 Scoville).

Güero

This conical chili is of moderate heat ( H4) and appears similar in size and shape to the red Fresno, though usually not as pointy. Flavor is pretty good, but not as intense as the Fresno. The photo specimens were typically 3.0 inches long and 1-5/8 inches diameter at the big end. It is an excellent substitute for the Xcatic of the Yucatán region.

Gypsy

A bluntly conical thin walled non-hot ( H0) pepper which passes quickly through colors from medium green to medium red as it ripens. They are generally about 4 inches long and 2-1/4 inches in diameter weighing 3-1/2 ounces.

Gypsys are currently (2017) much admired by chefs and yuppies though I really don't see the point. They have thin skins so can be fried and roasted and cook quickly (important in restaurants), but also have less flavor and a less favorable skin to flesh ratio than the much more flavorful Baby Bell Peppers which are available in a similar range of even more intense colors. Select dark red Gypsy Peppers carefully, they tend to go quickly to rot after achieving that color.

Habanero Group

This is a family of very hot chilis native to the Yucatán Peninsula and surrounding areas. Its genus was named C. chinense by a botanist who saw them in China and thought they were native there. Taken to the Caribbean in pre-Columbian times, during Colonial times many were shipped from the port of Havana Cuba, thus the name meaning "of Havana". Few are grown in Cuba today because very hot food is not in style there now.

While the Orange Habanero totally dominates here in Southern California, Habaneros also come in Red and Yellow. White, Pink and Brown varieties also exist. They have a unique fruity flavor, which, combined with their intense hotness ( H10), makes them popular for hot chili sauces. Though they have very thin walls, they tend to rot quickly so are difficult to dry, unless you have a dehydrator, but they are available in that form. When you buy them fresh, keep them loosely wrapped in the refrigerator and plan to use them up in 5 days or so.

Scotch Bonnet, Aji Dulce, etc. [C. chinense] For other members of this family see our Chilis of the Caribbean page. Red Savina [Dominican Devil's Tongue, C. chinense] Demoted from "hottest chili" by the Naga Jolokia, the Red Savina has been measured at a Scoville rating around 580,000. Besides being hotter than other habaneros it is heavier with thicker walls. This is a patented cultivar of the Red Habanero bred by Frank Garcia of GNS Spices in California.   Photo by Michael Bemmerl distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution v3.0 Germany.

Holland Red

These are listed here because some supermarkets do carry them. They are a cayenne type pepper sold fresh and red ripe. They are 4 to 6 inches long by 5/8 inch diameter and tapered to a sharp point, hotness H4-5. These were brought to Holland from its former colonies in Indonesia. Fresnos are a good substitute, though of different shape and thicker walled, with better flavor, and are much more readily available here in California.

Hungarian Green

These are a Mexican type chili that was taken to Hungary by the Turks, who probably got them from the Spanish. They are now widely grown in North America. They are yellow-green chilis with medium thick walls, crunchy texture and little or no heat (H0 - H1). The center photo specimen was 5-7/8 inches long, 2-1/8 inches across and weighed 4-1/4 ounces. Allowed to fully ripen they become bright red-orange.   Details and Cooking.

Jalapeño

Fresh green, 2 to 3 inches by 1 inch diameter, dark green with blunt tip, hotness H5-H6. The skin is dark green (or red), smooth and shiny but often has faint stretch marks (corking). Those with corking tend to be hotter. The Jalapeño, with its thick flesh and distinctive flavor is the preferred chili for many Mexican salsas and for hot pickled peppers. For details see our Jalapño, Chipotle & Morita Chilis page.

Japanese Chile

Japone Chili

This chili originated in Jalisco, Mexico, but has become well known in Asia, where China grows vast amounts for export. They are easily identifiable by having no caps or stems. In North America, this is pretty much the default dried red chili, available everywhere. It has good flavor and is moderately hot at low to mid H7. They are up to 2-3/4 inches long and 0.63 inch wide (70 x 16 mm) and fairly plump.

Long Green Chili

Fresh green, 6 to 11 inches, H2. Commonly Anaheim in Southern California, but could be New Mexico or any other not very hot variety of large mild green chili. Often used for stuffing in "Mexican" cooking, but Poblanos (hotter and deeper flavor) are usually more authentic. Long greens are excellent for just munching raw.

Long Sweet Peppers

Fresh, 6 to 9 inches, in colors yellow, orange, red, chocolate, purple, and green. Hotness H0 to H1. There are many named cultivars in this category. The collection in the photo is marketed as "Sweet Twisters"® in 2 pound bags. They are used for snacks, salads, stuffing, toppings, and anything else Bell Peppers might be used for.

Manzana

Native to southern Central America and northwestern South America where they have been cultivated for about 8000 years, these chilis are now grown from Mexico to Chile. They are popular in mountainous regions because they can stand colder weather than most chilis. The bush can live 15 years and grow as tall as 10 feet.

Ranging from green through yellow and bright red, round to bell shape and 1 to 2-1/2 inches diameter, they are fairly hot (H8), and have black seeds. They have fairly thick walls so they do not dry well. Manzana is the only widely cultivated variety of C. pubescens.   Details and Cooking.

Mini Sweet Pepper

These Peppers are usually available in produce stores here in Southern California, packed in ziploc plastic bags. They are quite versatile and flavor is good, walls are reasonably thick, and hotness is H0 to H1. I've found these very fine for just snacking, stuffing, and as a substitute for Cubanelles, or "Italian Frying Peppers", 3 or 4 times as many of these as Cubanelles. The largest in the photo was 3.10 inches long by 1.15 inches diameter (79 x 29 mm) and weighed 0.7 ounces. For details, see our   Mini Pepper, Sweet page.

Morita

A variety Chipotle (smoked Jalapeno). Usually a smaller variety is used, about 2-5/8 inches long by 7/8 inch wide, and smoked less intensively than the larger Chipotle Meco. This is the variety usually found in the tiny cans of "Chipotles in Adobo Sauce", as was the red one on the left. For details see our Jalapño, Chipotle & Morita Chilis page.

Mulato

Dried black to 2-1/2 x 4 inches (variable), heart shaped, hotness H1. The flavor of this chili is suggestive of licorice and is darker and less sweet than that of the brighter flavored Ancho but they are used similarly and sometimes in combination. This is a flavoring chili with almost no heat.

Negro (Chile Negro)

New Mexico

Dried red, 4 to 6 inches by 2 inches in diameter, H2. This chili is used as a major ingredient in New Mexico Chili Powder and in various Mexican sauces. Very similar to California Chili but tends to be a bit hotter.

Pasilla

These are properly whole dried chilis, usually about 6 inches long by 1 inch with a blunt end - hotness H2 - H3 - also called Chile Negro. The photo specimens (upper pair) are dried. The fresh green ones (lower pair) are properly called Chilaca, but are often called "Pasilla" in error. The dried ones are commonly available in Southern California, with the fresh only occasionally seen. Pasillas are often called for in Mexican stews and salsa.   Subst: for green pasillas, Poblanos (different shape, thicker flesh).   Subst: for dry Ancho (sweeter, thicker flesh, so use fewer if by count).

Pasilla de Oaxaca / Mixie

These unique chilis are grown only in the Cañada Valley of Oaxaca. Dried over smoky fires, necessary due to the humid conditions of the valley, they are mild, about H4, smoky, and quite unexpectedly sweet. Unfortunately, they are scarce and expensive. While these are much larger and much lower in heat, Chipotles are the closest substitute.

Pequin

Pronounced "pikEEN", these small pointed chilis are native to Tabasco, Mexico, and are found wild in various parts of Mexico and most of Central America. They are also cultivated. Dried, they are up to 1/2 by 1/4 inch, and are similar to the wild Chiltepins, but larger and not as hot H8. They also posses a complex flavor, but somewhat different from the Chiltepins, while their heat builds up more slowly and lasts longer. They are less costly than the Chiltepins at 2022 US $7.96 / ounce in 1/4 ounce bags.

Poblano

Fresh green H3, rarely red ripe - dried red it is called Ancho. This large (4 to 6 inches), very dark green conical chili has fairly thick flesh with a unique flavor, but hotness and shape can vary widely.

Poblanos are the correct chili for Chili Relleno, but many restaurants use the less flavorful Anaheim for reasons of cost, availability and for fear of the somewhat erratic hotness of the Poblano. When a recipe calls for "Pasilla" chilis it almost always actually means "Poblanos", particularly if it calls for stuffing them. Real fresh green "Pasillas" are properly called Chilacas, "Pasilla" is properly the dried form. Chilacas are not only hard to find in Southern California but are long, narrow and relatively thin of flesh. They do have a similar but less intense flavor.

Puya

Dried red chilis (hotness H4-H5) similar to Guajillo but smaller and hotter. The photo specimens were about 4-1/2 inches long. These have been recommended as a good substitute for Thai Prik Kaeng.

Red Savina

Rocoto

Serrano Chili

Native to the mountains of Mexico, these are one of the most common Chilis in North America. They have also been enthusiastically adopted in Thailand. Here in North America, they are the "go-to" for fresh hot green chilis when chilis native to a particular cuisine are not available.

These have more flavor than most hot green chilis - but nobody seems to be complaining. They are fairly hot (about H6), but the heat can be much reduced if necessary, by removing the seed mass and membranes. They are usually used green with the seeds in. They can be up to 4.5 inches (11.5 cm) long and 0.8 inch (2 cm) diameter. The flesh is fairly thick, so they are not dried, though they are often pickled.

Shishito Chili

These are now grown in California and widely available here in Southern California, both for themselves, and as a substitute for Spanish Padrónes and Philippine Sili Mahaba. Fresh dark green (red ones are very rare), these chilis have unique lengthwise ridges and blunt ends. They have good flavor are generally very mild at H0, but about 1 in 20 can surprise, cranking it up into the H1 range. This is the same as the much stubbier but similarly wrinkled Spanish Padrón pepper, from which the Shishito Chili was probably developed. Like other California produce, they are tending to get larger (easier to harvest). For my earlier photo the largest was 3 inches long and 1/2 inch diameter. A later purchase (Oct 2017) was up to 4-3/4 inches long and 7/8 inch diameter, but still very mild.   Details and Cooking.

Sport Peppers

This chili is an important sandwich and hot dog ingredient in Chicago, and a common table condiment in the southeastern states, though many people there use only the pickling vinegar, not the chilis. The bottle said "Hot", but they are not hot by Southern California standards. They taste very much like Peperoncini but are much smaller and a little hotter (H2 to H3). The longest of the photo specimens was 2.7 inches.

Tabasco

This chili, famous for being made into Tabasco Sauce and other Louisiana hot sauces, was imported from the Mexican state of Tabasco. Some are still grown on Avery Island, Louisiana, but the main production is in Central America and Colombia where the weather is more suitable. They are quite hot (H6) and related to the Thai chilis. They start out pale green, turning to yellow, then orange and finally bright red as they ripen.

Tepin

Thai Chili

This is the chili North Americans most think of as "Thai Chili", and the only one commonly grown and sold in North America. It is small, often less than 1-3/4 inches long as grown in Thailand, but there are many varieties and those grown in California are often up to 2-3/4 inches (more efficient to grow and harvest large sizes). They are narrow, pointy and start growing point up, but turn downward as they reach full size. They turn from green to red when ripe (they may be somewhat orange in between). They are very hot (H8 to H9), slightly less hot when red ripe, and a little less than that when dried. Fully red ripe these dry very well into fine dried red chilis, hotter than the common Japones. Those imported from Thailand tend to be hotter than if you dried those grown in California. Some minor varieties are black if in full sun, turning bright orange when ripe.

Verdi

Xcatic

Native to the Yucatán region, where it is pronounced "sh-katik", this chili is up to 4.3 inches long by about 1 inch diameter (11 x 2.5 cm). Moderately hot (H4), it is important in the region, used fresh, but unavailable much north of the Yucatán. Fortunately our common Güero, while slightly different in shape, is an excellent substitute.   Photo by PachuliYo distributed under license Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike v4.0 International.

Yellow Hot Chili

Yellow Wax, Long

Yellow green ripening through yellow to orange, 6 to 9 inches by 2 inches diameter, H4. Similar in size and shape to the green Anaheim, but these are much hotter. These start out yellow-green, turn yellow at the point they're usually marketed, then turn orange as they fully ripen.Pretty much interchangeable with and easily confused with hot Hungarian Peppers.

Chili Powders & Flake

California Chili Powder

Caution:   this comes two ways - American and Mexican. The American is a seasoning blend, generally made from California or New Mexico chilis, cumin, cayenne, oregano, salt, onion powder and/or garlic powder. The Mexican will be plain ground California chilis and will list no other ingredients, and be around H2.

Cayenne

Hotness H8 a distinctly hot powder, usually without much flavor, Cayenne is the "standard" for adding heat to recipes without greatly affecting the flavor, including adding heat to California and New Mexico chili powders mixes. Sometimes it's made from actual Cayenne chilis but often not. It varies in color and is often of a duller and less red color than the version in the photo which was made by one of the big Mexican chili companies.

Chipotle

Ground chipotle chilis (smoked jalapenos). It has a stronger smoke flavor than Spanish smoked paprika and is considerably hotter (H4).

New Mexico Chili Powder

Caution:   This comes two ways, American and Mexican. The American is a seasoning blend invented in Texas in the 1800s. It is available in mild and hot versions and is generally made from New Mexico chilis, paprika, guajillo chilis, black pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. Cayenne may be added for hotter formulas. The Mexican will be plain ground New Mexico chilis and will list no other ingredients, and be around H2.

Paprika, U.S.

Hotness H0. Undistinguished to slightly bitter in flavor and lacking any heat, U.S. Paprika is pretty much for decoration only, but often dull in color too. It is usually ground from New Mexico type pods. Obtain genuine Hungarian or Spanish paprika if at all possible.