Recipe Manuscript

Chipotles En Vinagre

Name: Chipotles En Vinagre
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 20
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 250 g dried chipotle chiles; 500 ml boiling water (for soaking); 2-3 whole heads of garlic (20-30 cloves), some crushed, some whole; 2 tbsp salt; 2 tsp dried thyme; 4 dried bay leaves; 4 tsp dried oregano; 6 whole black peppercorns; 1 cinnamon stick; 200 ml neutral vegetable oil (or light olive oil); 200 ml white vinegar (5% acidity)

"Chipotles In Vinegar"

1913

From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 3

Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate Snack Other

Original Recipe • 1913

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Chipotles En Vinagre

"Escogidos los chipotles de los mas grandes, se echan a remojar en agüa hirviendo. Al siguiente día se echan en una olla dos o tres cabezas de ajo machacadas y otras varias enteras, sal, tomillo, laurel y orégano, y cuando estén medio cocidos los ajos se agregan los chipotles y estando ya cocidos se sacan estos y los ajos poniéndolos en un bote con aceite y vinagre hasta que queden bien cubiertos, orégano, tomillo y laurel unas pimientas enteras y una raja de canela, tapándolos muy bien y haciendo uso de ellos hasta los ocho días. El agüa en que se cocieron los chiles y los ajos se tira."

English Translation

"Select the largest chipotle peppers and soak them in boiling water. The next day, put two or three heads of crushed garlic and several whole cloves, salt, thyme, bay leaf, and oregano in a pot. When the garlic is halfway cooked, add the chipotles. Once the chipotles are cooked, remove them and the garlic, and place them in a jar with oil and vinegar until well covered, along with oregano, thyme, bay leaf, a few whole peppercorns, and a stick of cinnamon. Seal the jar tightly and begin using them after eight days. Discard the water in which the chiles and garlic were cooked."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the narrative, almost conversational style common to early 20th-century home cookbooks, assuming a base level of culinary literacy—quantities are not exact, and much is left to the cook's intuition and experience. Modern spelling and grammar have evolved (e.g., 'agüa' would now be spelled 'agua'), and measurements such as 'dos o tres cabezas' are approximate rather than precise. Instructions are sequential, embedded within prose, and prioritize the order of operations over specifics. This style encourages adaptation and interpretation, hallmarks of domestic cooking in an era before standardized recipes.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 3 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 3 (1913)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Antonio Vanegas Arroyo

Era

1913

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful volume from the iconic 'Cocina en el bolsillo' series, this 1913 cookbook serves up a charming array of recipes, inviting readers to explore classic and creative dishes—ready to fit in your pocket and spice up any kitchen adventure.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This evocative recipe comes from 'La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 3' (1913), crafted by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, a celebrated Mexican publisher and chronicler of popular culture and cuisine. This small-format book was part of a beloved series intended to put practical, accessible cooking tips right into the hands (quite literally, their 'pockets') of the burgeoning Mexican middle class of the early 20th century. The dish, chipotles en vinagre, is deeply embedded in Mexican home preservation traditions and reflects tastes for smoky, tangy, and aromatic foods. At a time when refrigeration was rare, soaking dried chiles, gently simmering them with herbs and aromatics, and preserving them in oil and vinegar was both a culinary art and a necessity.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks in 1913 would have used basic kitchen utensils: an olla (clay or metal pot) for simmering the chiles and aromatics, a wooden spoon or pestle to crush the garlic, and probably a sharp kitchen knife for peeling and prepping the garlic. They would have stored the finished chipotles in glass jars or earthenware pots, tightly covered with cloth or paper and string, or with cork stoppers. The metric approach simplifies these practices with glass mason jars and modern stovetops, but the process remains remarkably similar.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

9 oz dried chipotle chiles
2 cups boiling water (for soaking)
2-3 whole heads of garlic (20-30 cloves), some crushed, some whole
2 tbsp salt
2 tsp dried thyme
4 dried bay leaves
4 tsp dried oregano
6 whole black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick
7 fl oz neutral vegetable oil (or light olive oil)
7 fl oz white vinegar (5% acidity)

Instructions

Select the largest dried chipotle chiles available (about 9 ounces).
Place them in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them to cover.
Allow them to soak overnight.
The next day, peel and lightly crush 2-3 heads of garlic (about 20-30 cloves).
In a medium saucepan, place the crushed and some whole garlic cloves, add a generous pinch of salt (about 2 tablespoons), 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, and 2 teaspoons dried oregano.
Add about 2 cups of water and bring to a simmer.
When the garlic is halfway cooked (about 5-8 minutes, softened but not falling apart), add the soaked chipotles.
Simmer gently until the chipotles are tender but still hold their shape (about 15-20 minutes).
Remove the chipotles and garlic with a slotted spoon and layer them in a sterilized glass jar.
Cover compleatly with a mixture of neutral vegetable oil (such as sunflower or light olive oil) and white vinegar in equal parts (about 1 2/3 cups total, or enough to submerge), then add 2 teaspoons dried oregano, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 more bay leaves, 6 whole black peppercorns, and 1 stick of cinammon.
Seal tightly and allow to infuse for at least 8 days before using.
Discard the cooking water.
Store in a cool, dark place; refrigerate after opening.

Estimated Calories

60 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You need to soak the chipotles overnight, then simmer the garlic and chipotles, and do some prep for peeling and crushing garlic. The main cooking takes about 30 minutes. Prep usually takes around 20 minutes. Each serving is estimated to have about 60 calories, and this recipe makes around 20 servings.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.