What Are Ancho Grande Hot Peppers?

Ancho Grande hot peppers are a large Mexican variety prized for their mild heat and rich, complex flavor profile. These substantial peppers feature thick walls, a heart-shaped form, and deep green skin that matures to a dark burgundy-red. Ancho Grandes are larger than traditional anchos, offering more flesh for stuffing and roasting. They're the perfect choice for cooks seeking authentic Mexican flavor with manageable heat and impressive presentation on the plate.

Flavor Profile and Heat Level

Ancho Grande peppers deliver gentle, approachable heat paired with a sophisticated flavor profile. Their taste is earthy and slightly sweet with subtle smoky undertones that deepen when roasted or dried. The mild spice allows the pepper's natural complexity to shine through without overwhelming the palate. This balanced character makes them ideal for traditional Mexican dishes where the pepper's flavor should complement rather than dominate the overall taste. Scoville heat units (SHU): 1,000-2,000/mild

Growing Ancho Grande Peppers at Home

Ancho Grande peppers thrive in warm, sunny gardens with well-draining soil and consistent moisture. These plants love heat and benefit from full sun exposure throughout the growing season. Start seeds indoors 8 to 10 weeks before your last frost date, then transplant outdoors once soil temperatures reach 70°F or higher. The plants grow tall and sturdy, typically reaching 2 to 3 feet, and produce large fruit that benefits from staking or support as the peppers develop their substantial size.

Culinary Uses

Ancho Grande peppers excel in traditional Mexican cuisine and beyond. Roast and peel them for chiles rellenos, stuff them with cheese and meat for impressive main courses, or slice them into strips for fajitas and tacos. Dry mature red peppers to create ancho chiles, which add deep, complex flavor to moles, sauces, and traditional dishes. Their large size and thick walls make them perfect for grilling, and they're excellent in soups, stews, and salsas.

Harvesting and Storage

Harvest Ancho Grande peppers when they reach full size with thick, meaty walls, typically in their green stage for fresh use. For dried ancho chiles with deeper flavor, wait until they mature to their dark red color. Pick regularly to encourage continued production throughout the season. Fresh peppers store in the refrigerator for up to three weeks, while drying them creates shelf-stable ancho chiles that can be stored for months and rehydrated as needed for cooking.

In Summary

The Ancho Grande Pepper is named for its size—ancho is wide, grande is big. That’s when it’s dark red. While it’s still dark green, it’s called Poblano, which is named for a town in Mexico. And when it matures fully to dark brown, the name is Mulato. Vigorous, leafy plants produce grande amounts of tapered heart-shaped 4"-8" fruit with a mellow, smoky flavor and a little bit of heat. This fleshy, thick-skinned pepper is traditionally used for chiles rellenos and mole sauce, but you can probably think of a few more uses while you’re studying for the quiz about its name.

• High yields
• Mellow, smoky flavor
• Thick skin
• Good fresh, cooked, and dried

SEED PLANTING TIPS

• Botanical name: Capsicum annuum
• Pepper length: 4"-8" long by 3" wide
• Scoville heat units (SHU): 1,000-2,000/mild
• Plant support: Tomato cage or stake
• Depth to plant seeds: .25" deep
• Spacing between plants: 24"-36" apart
• Spacing between rows: 36"-48" apart
• Days to germinate (sprout): 7-21 days
• Germination soil temps: 75F-85F
• Soil needs: 6.0-7.0 pH
• Sun needs: Full sun
• Frost hardy: No
• Plant height: 36"
• Planting season: Spring, summer
• # of plants per sq. ft.: Appx. 1 plant per 3 sq. ft.
• Days to maturity: 75-85 days

Good companion plants: Basil, Carrot, Cucumber, Eggplant, Okra, Rosemary, Sage, Squash, Tomato