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Toasting Dried Chiles

Just as roasting fresh chiles deepens their flavor, toasting dried ones improves their taste. Here's our recommended method.

Just as roasting fresh chiles deepens their flavor, toasting dried ones improves their taste. While many recipes recommend pan-toasting, we find this method makes it all too easy to scorch the chiles, which can impart bitterness. We toast ours in the oven for better results (plus it’s easier and requires less attention).

1. Clean chiles with damp paper towel. Arrange on baking sheet and toast in 350-degree oven just until fragrant and puffed, about 6 minutes.

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