Here is some interesting information about the De Arbol Chile. MySpicer carries this pepper in bulk in whole and powdered form.
The Chile de Arbol peppers are small Mexican chile peppers. The Spanish translation of the name chile de arbol means “tree chili” and they are named this because of the woodlike stems that are attached to the chile pods. They are about 2 to 3 inches in length and have a long, narrow, curved shape. Because of their unique shape, these peppers have been nicknamed bird’s beak chile and rat’s tail chile.
The young peppers start out as a green color and as they grow they become a very bright red color. Unlike many chili peppers, this bright red remains after the pepper has been dried. Because of this, they are very popular for use in holiday and decorative wreaths.
This chile is a relative of the cayenne and shares its acidic heat and thin flesh with tannic and smoky flavors as well as grassy tones. Use this chile in sauces, soups, and stews. In cooking the Chile de Arbol is often traded with cayenne pepper.
Heat Level = 7. The heat index of the Chile de Arbol pepper ranges between 15,000 and 30,000 Scoville units.