How to Use Chile Peppers and Flavored Sea Salt

Chile peppers and flavored sea salts both add punch, but they do different jobs. A chile adds heat, color and its own flavor without changing the salt level. A flavored salt seasons with salt and adds smoke or chile character at the same time. Knowing which one a dish needs, and when to add it, is the difference between food that's balanced and food that's just hot or just salty. This guide explains the forms of chile, the types of flavored salt, how to combine them, and gives measured examples you can cook tonight.

Start with what the dish needs

Choose the chile form

Ground chile powder

The most convenient form. Stir it into rubs, marinades, chili, soups and sauces, or dust it over finished food. Heat ranges from gentle Aleppo and ancho to fiery Red Thai and habanero. Single-chile powders are pure pepper with no salt.

Whole dried chiles

Whole pods like guajillo, ancho and New Mexico red are toasted, soaked and blended into sauces with real body. They're the base of enchilada sauce, birria and red chile. See our whole dried chile cooking guide.

Chile blends

Blends like Chile Pepper Blend or Chili Powder combine several chiles, and sometimes other spices, for a rounder flavor. Check the label for salt.

Choose the flavored salt

Chile sea salts

• Jalapeño Sea Salt: green jalapeño flavor, a little heat.
• Chipotle Sea Salt: smoky, hot, slightly tangy.
• Red Chile Sea Salt: savory, tangy heat with smoked paprika and garlic.
• Habanero Sea Salt: very hot, citrusy and fruity.

Smoked sea salts

• Applewood: mild and fruity, for fish, pork and chicken.
• Hickory: bold and sweet, for ribs, burgers and stews.
• Cherrywood: smooth, for poultry, eggs and vegetables.
• Smoked Sea Salt: robust, for brisket, jerky and fajitas.

For an all-purpose table salt with herbs and spices built in, there's Seasoned Sea Salt.

How to combine them

1. Add chile early. Chile powder blooms in oil and mellows as it simmers. Add it with the aromatics or in the rub.
2. Salt in stages. Season lightly during cooking, then taste near the end.
3. Finish with flavored salt. Smoke and chile aroma in a flavored salt are brightest when sprinkled on just before serving.
4. Don't chase heat with salt. If a dish needs more heat but is already salty, add plain chile, not more Habanero Sea Salt.

Example: roasted potato comparison

Roast 1 pound diced potatoes with 1 tablespoon oil at 425°F until tender and browned, about 30 to 40 minutes, turning halfway. Divide into two bowls. Finish one with a small pinch of Hickory Smoked Sea Salt. Toss the other with a tiny pinch of chile powder and plain salt to taste. Compare the smoky aroma, heat and salt separately. It's the fastest way to learn what each tool does.

Example: tomato sauce with chile

Simmer 1 cup crushed tomatoes with 1/4 teaspoon of a moderate chile powder such as guajillo or New Mexico red for 10 minutes. For very hot Red Thai powder, start with a small pinch. Taste a cooled spoonful, then add salt.

Recipe: grilled steak with chile rub and smoked salt finish

1. Mix 1 teaspoon ancho powder, 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt. This seasons 1 pound of steak.
2. Rub the steak with a little oil and the mix. Grill to your preferred doneness; the USDA minimum is 145°F with a 3-minute rest.
3. Slice and finish with a few crystals of Smoked Sea Salt or Chipotle Sea Salt.

Recipe: chile-lime fruit cup

Toss 2 cups mixed watermelon, mango, pineapple and cucumber with 1 tablespoon lime juice. Sprinkle with a small pinch of Red Chile Sea Salt, or Habanero Sea Salt if you like it hot. Serve right away.

Recipe: smoky chipotle black beans

Warm 1 tablespoon oil with 1/4 teaspoon Chipotle Morita powder and 1/2 teaspoon cumin for 30 seconds. Add 2 drained cans of black beans and 1/2 cup water and simmer 10 minutes, mashing a few beans to thicken. Finish with lime and a pinch of Chipotle Sea Salt, tasting as you go.

Safety and storage

• Keep hot peppers and powders away from your eyes. Wash hands, boards and utensils after handling them.
• Toast whole chiles with good ventilation and don't let them blacken.
• Keep salts and powders tightly sealed, away from steam. Pinch or measure onto a plate rather than shaking over a hot pot.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use chile sea salt instead of chile powder?

Only if the dish also needs salt. Chile salts are mostly salt, so using them for heat alone can over-salt food.

Do smoked salts have heat?

No. Smoked sea salts add smoke and salt only. For smoke plus heat, try Chipotle Sea Salt or chipotle powder.

Which chile has the most flavor with the least heat?

Ancho, guajillo, Aleppo and New Mexico red all bring lots of flavor with mild to moderate heat. See the chile pepper heat guide.

Explore more from Savu Birra

Browse the full chile peppers and flavored sea salt collection. Related reading: How to Use Our Flavored Salts, How to Use Savu Birra Smoked Sea Salt and How to Use Seasoned Sea Salt.