Poblano Pepper Scoville, 1,000–2,000 SHU

How hot is a poblano?

A poblano rates 1,000 to 2,000 Scoville heat units, mildly hot by UF/IFAS Extension's own description¹. Most people you cook for will call it flavorful rather than spicy. The extension's Scoville list gives you the same range⁴.

An average jalapeño, at about 5,000 SHU, carries 2.5 to 5 times the heat of a poblano. The math is 5,000 ÷ 2,000 and 5,000 ÷ 1,000, both from the UF/IFAS figures¹.

Is a poblano the same as an ancho?

Yes, at a different stage of the same pod you hold in your hand. You can eat a poblano green or ripe red, and once it ripens red and dries, stores sell it as an ancho¹. The NMSU Chile Pepper Institute puts it the other way round: in U.S. markets, a poblano is a green ancho or mulato sold fresh³.

So your bag of dried anchos and a crate of green poblanos can come from the same kind of plant. A bag marked pasilla is the odd one out, because a pasilla is a dried chilaca⁵. The pasilla and poblano comparison sets the two side by side.

If you're buying the dried pod for a mole or a red sauce, it has its own entry with its heat and uses: what an ancho is.

Why do stores and regions use different names?

The fresh-for-poblano, dried-for-ancho split is how U.S. produce markets label it for you³. In Mexico the word "ancho" also covers the plant: the genus monograph records "Chile ancho" as a common name of C. annuum var. annuum from collections in Guanajuato and Tamaulipas².

If your recipe from Mexico asks for "chile ancho" and the pods in it are fresh, it probably means what a U.S. store calls a poblano, so you can buy poblanos with confidence. The ancho and poblano side by side covers heat and flavor after drying.

What does a poblano taste like?

UF/IFAS describes a rich melon flavor in a thick-walled, mildly hot pod¹. The UC Master Gardeners of Ventura County call it earthy, smoky and fruity⁵. Most recipes you'll find roast it first, which brings the smoky side forward.

1About 4 inches long and 2 inches wide¹2Thick wall, mildly hot: 1,000–2,000 SHU¹3Green: picked unripe¹4Red: ripe; dried, it becomes an ancho¹

1. About 4 inches long and 2 inches wide¹
2. Thick wall, mildly hot: 1,000–2,000 SHU¹
3. Green: picked unripe¹
4. Red: ripe; dried, it becomes an ancho¹

• Mild
• Rich
• Melon

How do you roast and peel a poblano?

Blister the skin over high heat, trap the steam, then pull the skin off. New Mexico State University's extension guide for fresh chiles gives the method, and it suits a poblano's thick wall well⁶.

1. 1

   Pick heavy, smooth pods

   Choose pods that are heavy for their size, smooth, glossy and crisp; skip any with shriveled skin, soft spots or mold.⁶

2. 2

   Wash, dry and slit

   Cut a small slit in the side of each pod so steam can escape and the pepper doesn't burst.⁶

3. 3

   Blister for 6 to 8 minutes

   Under a broiler or in an oven at 400–450°F, on a grill, or on a burner covered with heavy wire mesh. Turn the pods often so the skin blisters evenly without scorching.⁶

4. 4

   Trap the steam

   Put the hot pods in a covered heat-safe container or a food-grade bag. Once they cool, the skin pulls off with a gentle tug and a rinse.⁶

5. 5

   Scrape what's left

   Where the skin didn't blister, scrape it off with a sharp knife or a vegetable peeler.⁶

The guide warns that chile can burn your hands and eyes. Wear rubber gloves, or coat your hands with a thin layer of solid fat, and if your hands still sting, soak them in plain vinegar⁶. For a crisper pod, dip it in ice water as it comes off the heat; for softer flesh, cover the pan with a damp towel for a few minutes⁶.

How do you stuff a poblano?

Roast and peel it first, then slit one side and lift out the seed core, so you keep a single pocket. The broad shape, about 4 inches long and 2 wide, and the thick wall¹ are why the poblano is the usual pepper for chiles rellenos: it holds a filling and stays in one piece in the pan.

Keep the stem on while you roast: it holds your pocket closed and gives you a handle. If you plan to bake the stuffed pods rather than fry them, pull them off the heat a minute early, since they cook again in the oven.

Should you buy green, red or dried ancho?

Buy green for roasting and stuffing, red if you find it and want it sweeter, and dried anchos for sauces. They're the same pepper at three stages¹³.

How do you store fresh and roasted poblanos?

Keep fresh pods cool and away from fruit. The UC Master Gardeners advise 45 to 55°F at 90 to 95 % humidity and keeping peppers away from apples and bananas, whose ethylene gas harms them⁵. Roasted pods follow stricter food-safety rules⁶.

You can also freeze poblanos whole and unpeeled; the guide notes they peel more easily after freezing⁶.

Can you can poblanos at home?

Yes, but only in a pressure canner. The National Center for Home Food Preservation gives pressure-canner times for plain peppers and no boiling-water times at all⁷. If you want a shelf-stable jar without a pressure canner, freeze your roasted poblanos instead, or pickle them with a tested vinegar recipe.

The prep is the same roast-and-peel you'd do for dinner: core and seed the pods, cut two or four slits, blister them at 400°F for 6 to 8 minutes, cover with a damp cloth, peel and flatten⁷. Salt is optional, half a teaspoon per pint if you want it⁷.

What goes wrong with poblanos?

Most poblano problems you'll meet happen between your roaster and your freezer.

Can you eat a poblano raw?

Yes. UF/IFAS says you can eat it green or ripe red¹, and at 1,000 to 2,000 SHU a raw slice is mild enough for most people. Most recipes still roast and peel it, and the reason is the skin: New Mexico State University's chile guide calls the outer skin of chile hard to chew and digest, and says it can spoil the texture of a dish⁶.

If you want it raw, slice it thin for a salad or a taco topping, so the skin stays in small pieces. For anything you'll blend or stuff, the 6-to-8-minute blister and peel above gives you a softer, smokier pod and a smoother sauce.

Where does the poblano come from?

The name you see on the sign comes from the valley of Puebla, south of Mexico City, where it was widely grown¹. NMSU traces the ancho pod type to Mexico before Columbus³.

Are poblano and Anaheim peppers the same?

No, and you can tell them apart at a glance. The Anaheim differs in shape first: a poblano is broad, about 4 by 2 inches, while an heirloom Anaheim is long and skinny, up to 7 inches by 1.5¹. The Anaheim usually sits around 1,000 SHU but some reach 5,000¹.

The Anaheim and poblano side by side shows both ranges, sizes and flavors.

Can you grow a poblano or swap it?

A poblano matures in about 75 to 80 days and keeps producing through most of your summer¹. Texas AgriLife gives hot peppers like it a sweet spot of 85 to 95°F days with 65 to 70°F nights, and warns that excessive heat shrinks the fruit and makes the flowers drop⁹, so a July heat wave can pause your plants for a few weeks. Texas AgriLife lists San Ardo and Tiburon as ancho/poblano varieties for Texas growers⁹. Spacing and care are in the guide to growing poblano plants.

No poblanos at your store? An Anaheim is the closest by heat. More options with amounts are in the poblano swap list.