Capsicum annuum
Poblano - Scoville, Taste & Uses
Poblano peppers bring gentle warmth and earthy depth. The pods are heart shaped, dark green, and thick walled. Bite into a roasted poblano and you taste roasted corn, cocoa, and a whisper of spice. Citizens stuff them with cheese and beans for chiles rellenos, or slice them into creamy rajas. When dried, the pepper becomes Ancho, adding raisin notes to mole and adobo. Poblanos handle grilling, baking, and frying without falling apart. At 1,000 to 2,000 SHU, they live firmly in the Mild zone. Comforting heat, generous size - applauded by the Ministry of Hearth and Spice. Poblano typically measures 1,000-2,000 SHU (Mild). Shows up across Mexico, Puebla in condiments, pickles, and marinades. Roast poblanos over flame, peel the skins, and stuff them with cheese, meat, or grains. Slice roasted strips for rajas con crema, tacos, and tamales. Dice raw pieces for salsas that need gentle heat. Puree with tomatillos and cilantro for mild green sauces. Dry red pods to create Ancho powder, a core ingredient in mole, chili con carne, and spice rubs. They pair well with dairy, corn, mushrooms, and poultry. See sauces using Poblano
Also known as: Chile Poblano, Ancho (dried)
Species
Capsicum annuum
Heat
Flavour
Mild, Earthy, Rich, thick-walled, stuffable
Origin / Regions
Mexico, Puebla
Colour / Shape
Deep green when unripe, reddish brown when ripe
Pod size
10-15 cm long, 4-6 cm wide
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Sauces Using Poblano
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Flavour & Aroma
Heat Profile
Scoville range
1,000-2,000 SHU
Heat label
Mild
Harvest window
Late summer to early autumn
Sauce Index count
-
History & Culture
Botany & Growing Notes
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- Tasting card & pairing pointers
- Ships EU-wide; limited runs
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Poblano typically measures 1,000-2,000 SHU (Mild). Ranges shift with cultivar and growing conditions.
Mild, Earthy, Rich, thick-walled, stuffable
Chile Poblano, Ancho (dried) show up as common aliases depending on region. This pepper's alternate names mostly come from regional dialects.
Consider Anaheim, Ancho, Banana Pepper, Kashmiri Chili for comparable heat or recipes.
- Anaheim - Mild
- Ancho - Mild
- Banana Pepper - Mild
- Kashmiri Chili - Mild
Roast poblanos over flame, peel the skins, and stuff them with cheese, meat, or grains. Slice roasted strips for rajas con crema, tacos, and tamales. Dice raw pieces for salsas that need gentle heat. Puree with tomatillos and cilantro for mild green sauces. Dry red pods to create Ancho powder, a core ingredient in mole, chili con carne, and spice rubs. They pair well with dairy, corn, mushrooms, and poultry.
Poblanos are straightforward to grow. Start seeds indoors 8 weeks before the last frost, then transplant into full sun once soil warms to 16°C. Plants reach 60 to 90 cm tall and benefit from staking because pods get heavy. Provide fertile, well-drained soil and steady moisture. Harvest green pods about 80 days after transplant, or wait another 10 days for red, sweeter fruit. Dry ripened pods in a dehydrator or sunny window to produce Ancho chilies.
Use gloves, ventilation, and soap to remove capsaicin oils.
Sources
- Republic of Heat tasting lab field notes
- Producer dossiers submitted through Directus
- Open cultivar registries & academic pepper research
We cross-reference seed banks, peer-reviewed literature, and reputable producer data for SHU and origin claims.
Reviewed by Republic of Heat - last updated 2025-11-08