Dried chili infusions
Toss a few dried chilis in a CoffeeSock infusion bag and use it to flavor beans, stews and broths. It’s simple, economical and capital-F Flavorful.
Ever since our friend Gina shared an amazing soup she made with our infusion bags, we’ve been on a tear. We knew these bags worked wonders for teas and herbal baths, but we had not yet tossed chili peppers in them.
We are blind no more. Dried chilis are about the simplest most economical way to spice up everything, from a simple pot of black beans to Gina’s hearty black bean soup recipe.
Here’s how to make your own dried chili infusions.
What you need
2-4 dried chilis, depending on your spice tolerance
1/2 gallon of liquid to infuse
What chilis to use
Here’s where you can have some fun. You can find many varieties of dried chilis on the shelf at most supermarkets and an endless supply at your local Mexican market.
Gina recommends dried guajillo peppers for her black bean soup. Here are a few favorites:
Guajillo peppers are one of the most common you’ll find. They’re spicy but on the milder side, so they’re typically a crowd pleaser.
Ancho is another popular but mild variety, with a little more of a smoky vibe.
Chipotles also have a signature smokiness, but they turn up the heat a bit from the anchos to a medium spice level. Apparently chipotles are smoked jalapeños. (We learned something new!)
Chile de árbol is for those who want to bring the heat.
Here’s a handy article on picking the chili that works for you.
How to infuse
You have a couple of options here: Cut the chilis or don’t. Use heat or don’t. We’ll walk through both.
Should I cut the chilis?
Cutting the dried chilis will allow more liquid to permeate the skin in more places. You might want to do that if you’re wanting a spicier infusion or if you’re making a cold infusion and want to steep it for less time.
If you prefer milder, especially if you’re using heat, then leave the chilis whole.
Do I boil the liquid or cold steep the chilis?
This mostly depends on what you’re making. If you’re making a soup, broth or stew, you’re probably going to eat it the same day, so you’ll want a quicker steeping method that extracts flavor faster. Toss the closed infusion bag right into the stew while it’s cooking.
That’s the method we use for the black bean soup.
If you want to infuse a cold liquid, for a cold broth, chili-infused water, or spiced up Vodka, you’ll add the infusion bag to the liquid and let sit for up to one week, depending on the type and strength of your chilis.
How long do I steep the chili infusion bags?
For a soup or stew, simmer for 30 minutes to one hour. If you’re using the hot chilis, keep in mind that the longer they stay in the soup the hotter it will be.
For a cold steeped liquid with cut chilis, steep for a minimum of 30 minutes if you’re using the hot chilis and up to 24 hours if you’re using milder ones.
For cold steeped liquid with whole chilis, you can steep up to one week for a complex and bold flavor.
Experiment and let us know your favorites!