De arbol powder

Made from whole, dried, chile de arbol chiles,de arbol powder can be hard to find.  This  powder adds a nice "heat" to sauces and rubs. You can substitute arbol powder in any any recipe that calls for cayenne pepper. You can read more about the arbol chile here including more substitutions and equivalents.

Where To Buy De Arbol Powder

You can purchase this de arbol chile powder in our online store at Gourmetsleuth.com. 

Substitute For De Arbol Powder

If you don't have de arbol powder, then the best substitute is:

• Cayenne powder - something you may already have in your kitchen.  To compare the two chiles on a relative heat scale from one to 10, cayenne is an 8 and arbol powder is about a 7.5.
• OR - In a pinch, If you just want to add "some heat" you could use a generic chile powder but make sure it doesn't contain other seasonings like salt or cumin.
• OR - Use a dash of hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco) but know it will add a hint of vinegar.