Cascabel Pepper Delivery or Pickup

The cascabel pepper is a Mexican chili pepper. It's known for its distinct rattle and bell sound when you shake the dried pods, resulting from the loose seeds inside the pepper. The word cascabel means little bell or rattle in Spanish. Some other names for this pepper include chile bola, which translates to ball chili or rattle chili because of the rattling sound it makes. 

You can find both fresh and dried cascabel peppers. This is unusual for peppers from Mexico, which usually have different names for the fresh and dried versions. Cascabels are small, round peppers about two to three centimeters wide. They start out green and mature to a deep red color and look similar to a small cherry. They are most commonly used dried, and when dry, they retain their shape. 

Many peppers offer either heat or flavor, but the cascabel is unique because it has both. It has a smokey flavor with slightly nutty notes, and it has a moderate to mild heat level sitting at 1,000-3,000 on the Scoville heat scale. As a comparison, the hottest cascabel chili has about the same heat level as an average jalapeño. The heat level is perfect for soups and marinades, and this pepper is also delicious in salsa.

Cascabel chilies should be dry and firm. The skin should have just a little bit of give when you press on it. If it is brittle or damaged, choose another pepper. If it feels too soft, it may have been exposed to moisture and is no longer good. It's common to find broken or cracked cascabel chili peppers, and these are fine as long as they are still supple. 

Look for peppers that have a medium to deep red color with a purple or brown tinge. You might see a pale yellow or orange patch on the surface. This is fine, it happens during the drying process, and it doesn't affect the taste. The size of the pepper might affect the flavor, so if you have a recipe that calls for several cascabels, choose a consistent size so you have a uniform flavor. 

It doesn't take much time to prepare cascabels, but it might vary depending on the recipe. In most cases, you'll remove the stem and throw it away. You can then crack the pepper open to take the seeds out, although if you want some extra heat, the seeds are edible and add some spiciness. 

If you have dried cascabel peppers, you might need to rehydrate them in warm water or stock before using them in your dish. Rehydration is usually specified in a recipe, and if it's not necessary, you can toast them in a dry pan to accentuate the flavor before using. If your recipe calls for chili flakes, you can pulverize these small peppers in a spice grinder or if you have one, use a mortar and pestle to make chili flakes from the dried cascabels. 

Cascabel peppers are an excellent choice for salsa and for Mexican sauces that you serve over dishes such as tamales or tacos. They work well with tomatillos, providing a tangy flavor. You can also use these peppers in tacos al pastor or use them to make a cream sauce for grilled pork. 

Add dried cascabel pepper to dry rubs for beef, or if you rehydrate some of these chilies and mince them, they make a delicious addition to chili con carne. It adds extra layers of flavor and just a touch of heat.