Chipotle garlic salt / rub

This is a staple in my kitchen. Sits right next to my kosher salt, (another staple), and pepper grinder. It’s basically a fancy garlic salt that you can use on pretty much anything that you would salt. Rub it on chicken, steak, fish, pork, veggies and so on, in stead of the usual salt and pepper. With butter, a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of this chipotle rub takes corn-on-the-cob to a whole new level. Try it on pop corn! I also mix a little in with sugar for my candied pecans. This recipe comes from a great book called “La Parilla” (the Mexican grill) by Reed Hearon.

Now, I am a recipe modifier. If I don’t have what’s called for in the recipe I substitute what I think will work…or even make it better! With this recipe you can try different peppers. If you don’t have or can’t find Ancho chiles then use another mild one like the Pasilla. If you don’t have chipotles use a morita which is another smoked chile. For more info on chiles click here. Gives you substitutes, too!

Now where the heck to you get these chiles?? El Sureno Market, El Sureno Market, 1730 Commercial @ 1st.

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup corn oil (or canola)
5 chipotle chiles, seeded and deveined (sub. morita)
5 ancho chiles, seeded and deveined (sub. pasilla, New Mexico or mulato)
25 garlic cloves
1.5 cups of kosher salt (no substitute)
1/4 cup dried Mexican oregano (sub. Italian variety if you can’t find Mex.)

Preheat the oven to it’s lowest setting (150-170).
Heat the corn oil in a medium-sized saute pan over medium high heat until hot but not smoking. Fry the chiles, 1 or 2 at a time, until they are puffed and browned, about 10 seconds a side. Keep turning them so they don’t burn, otherwise they’ll be bitter. Drain the chiles on paper towels and set aside to cool. (If you want, save the oil to use for soups, stews or anything you want to add flavor.)

The recipe says to grind the chiles in batches in a spice grinder first but I just chuck everything in a food processor. You’re going to regrind everything later anyway. With that said, put the garlic, chiles, oregano and salt in a food processor and whiz it until evenly incorporated and and as finely ground as you can make it. Next, spread the mixture on a jelly roll pan or in a large roasting pan (you just need a large flat surface with sides) and place in a cool oven (the lowest setting) and dry for about an hour. When the mixture is completely dry regrind it in a food processor or, better yet, a coffee grinder for a nice fine powder.

Store at room temp in a covered container indefinitely. Now, eat and be merry! Michele