Ancho chiles (“ancho” meaning wide in Spanish) are dried ripe poblano peppers. They get their name from the broad shoulders that give the peppers its heart-shaped appearance. Ancho chiles are a dark red to deep mahogany color. They are flat, wrinkled and have a broad stem that tapers at the tip. It has smoky, floral notes with an essence of raisin or prune. Ancho are the least spicy of the common dried chiles at 1,000-2,000 SHU.