Rehydrating dried chiles is a straight forward process. Start by placing a large skillet on a burner and set it to medium heat. Add the chiles you’d like to rehydrate and toast them until they start browning lightly (you don’t want them to char) this should take roughly 3 minutes. Once the chiles are browned to your liking, add enough water to cover the chiles. Cover the skillet with a lid, and bring to a simmer–cooking for 5-8 minutes. Take the skillet off the heat (still with the lid on) and let it rest for 5 minutes. Remove the chiles from the water (being sure to save some of the water if your recipe requires it) and use the now rehydrated chiles as needed. 

You can find a more detailed step-by-step guide by exploring our post How Do You Rehydrate Dried Chiles.

There are three primary ways to cook with dried chiles.

1. Rehydrate them to soften to be blended into a sauce or salsa
2. Crush them to sprinkle into a dish to provide heat and flavor on specific parts of a dish
3. Grind them into a powder to lessen the heat and have a greater incorporation into the dish than crushed

It always depends on what your recipe calls for; however, these are the most common uses of dried chiles in cooking. Dried chiles are typically a supporting ingredient in a dish (with the exception of Chile Rellenos) where their spiciness and flavor are used to amplify the protein, vegetable, or heavy starch.

Dried chiles can last up to three years if stored in a cool dark place; however, they may not retain their full flavor and heat at three years old. It’s best to use dried chiles within six to twelve months of purchase.

Don Juan Chiles products can be found at many Colorado Front Range and Western Slope carnicerias. We’re typically located in the stores right next to the butcher/meat department as so many of our ingredients (especially our dried chiles) go well with fresh meats. You can find a specific carniceria near you by visiting our Locations Page.

There are a variety of ways to make chile powder from dried chiles. This first step is to remove the stems and seeds of the dried chiles. An optional step is to toast the dried chiles before proceeding to actually making the chile powder. The most traditional way is to use a seasoned molcajete and a tejolote (also known as a mortar and pestle) and grind the dried chiles between the volcanic rock until it turns to a powder. The other, more modern, method to make your own fresh chile powder is to use a food processor. Pulse the destemmed and deseeded dried chiles to initially break the larger pieces up, and continue pulsing until you reach the desired powder consistency.

Our hottest chile available is the Ghost Chile.

Dried chiles have a variety of health and cooking benefits. They are naturally high in capsaicin which gives them their flavor, spice, and general “hotness.” But did you know that it has also been linked to reducing inflammation? Dried chiles are naturally high in vitamin A and vitamin C, which aid in maintaining healthy vision, cell division, reproduction, and forming blood vessels, cartilage, muscle, and collagen in bones, respectively.

The various potential health benefits of dried chiles are nice, but if you’re anything like us, you’re more interested in what benefits they offer in the kitchen. One thing that’s great about dried chiles is that, if stored properly in an airtight container, they’ll be good for up to three years. Additionally, dried chiles are an incredibly flexible ingredient that can be used rehydrated, crushed, and ground to get the exact heat intensity and flavor your recipe requires. Not to mention there are so many different varieties of dried chiles, you can experiment and explore to your hearts content.

You can check the status of your order by reaching out to [email protected].

Don Juan Chiles ships anywhere in the contiguous United States.

Unfortunately, we do not ship outside the United States at the moment.

Please allow 1-2 business days to process your order, and 7-12 business days to ship to all domestic areas within the US.

Don Juan Chiles accepts all major credit cards through Stripe, as well as PayPal.

You will be charged in USD for any order placed.

If you require expedited shipping, please reach out to [email protected] to ensure your order gets to you in the timeframe you need it to.

Upon placing your order, you will receive a confirmation Don Juan Chiles has received your order. When Don Juan Chiles has created a shipping label, you will receive an eMail with both the tracking information and a link to a site where you can track your order. If you are unable to find the email or link, please reach out to [email protected].

We do not issue refunds for products once the order is confirmed and the product is sent.
We recommend contacting us for assistance if you experience any issues purchasing or receiving our products.

If there are any questions regarding this refund policy, you may contact us using the information below:

3345 Chelton Loop N # B
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80909
[email protected]
(719) 574-1846