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Best Seller

Black Urfa Chili

Deeply savory and not-so-spicy with cocoa and dried fruit notes.

Regular price
$8.99
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$8.99
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Why Burlap & Barrel?

  • Single origin spices sourced directly from small farms
  • Over 10,000 5-star reviews
  • Guaranteed to wow you or we'll replace

Our Black Urfa Chili comes from Urfa, Turkey, where it has been grown and cured for centuries. It has a rich, malty flavor with a lingering burn. The chilis ripen to a bright red color, then are laid out under sheets in the hot summer sun. This technique cures the pepper in its own juices and gives it a deep umami flavor and beautiful dark color. Great in stews, tomato sauces, salad dressings, chocolate desserts or sprinkled over fluffy scrambled eggs.

Please note that the Black Urfa Chili contains a little sunflower oil and may appear to be slightly clumpy or wet. There's nothing to be concerned about — it's all part of what makes the chili so delicious!

"Game-changing spice for home cooks who think they have everything."
"The one I obsessed over."
"They've got these beautiful cocoa- and raisin-like flavors, they're lightly smoky, and they bring a lot of cool things to beer... as well as to poached eggs." -Bryan Selders (brewmaster)

Highlights

Origin:

Urfa, Turkey

Aliases:

Urfa biber, isot

Process:

Cured in the sun and stone-ground

Heat index: Mild
Tasting notes:

Raisin • Espresso • Summer Night

Ingredients

Kosher
non gmo clear
non irradiated clear
no preservatives clear
Ingredients:

Urfa Chili (Capsicum annuum), sunflower seed oil, salt (salt content is 1% by weight, or about 0.5 grams per jar)

Cooking tips

  • Sprinkle over roasted vegetables, eggs, or cooked proteins 
  • Stir into brownie batter or chocolate cookie dough 
  • Mix into hummus or other creamy dips 

Chili Comparison Guide

Explore origins, tasting notes and heat levels

Spice Heat level Description Tasting notes
Black Urfa Chili
Mild
Origin:

Urfa, Turkey

Deeply savory and not-so-spicy with cocoa and dried fruit notes.
Deeply savory and not-so-spicy with cocoa and dried fruit notes.
Origin:

Urfa, Turkey

Tasting Notes:

Raisin • Espresso • Summer Night

Heat Level: Mild

Raisin • Espresso • Summer Night

Silk Chili Flakes
Mild
Origin:

Kahramanmaras, Turkey

Summery, mildly spicy, versatile Aleppo-variety pepper flakes.
Summery, mildly spicy, versatile Aleppo-variety pepper flakes.
Origin:

Kahramanmaras, Turkey

Tasting Notes:

Roasted Tomato • Honey • Mediterranean Sun

Heat Level: Mild

Roasted Tomato • Honey • Mediterranean Sun

Cobanero Chili Flakes
Hot
Origin:

Cobán, Guatemala

A rare Maya variety of chili with a fierce, smoky heat and a lush, fruity aroma.
A rare Maya variety of chili with a fierce, smoky heat and a lush, fruity aroma.
Origin:

Cobán, Guatemala

Tasting Notes:

Papaya • Roasted Corn • Fire

Heat Level: Hot

Papaya • Roasted Corn • Fire

Hot
Origin:

Fire Tongue Farms, California

Classic cayenne powder, plenty hot with a sweet backbone.
Classic cayenne powder, plenty hot with a sweet backbone.
Origin:

Fire Tongue Farms, California

Tasting Notes:

Fresh Peach • Burnt Hay • Flambé

Heat Level: Hot

Fresh Peach • Burnt Hay • Flambé

Medium
Origin:

Jersey City, NJ, USA

The ideal garnish for perfect pizza, smoky, spicy and sweet.
The ideal garnish for perfect pizza, smoky, spicy and sweet.
Origin:

Jersey City, NJ, USA

Tasting Notes:

Sweet Heat • Brick Oven • Perfect Pie

Heat Level: Medium

Sweet Heat • Brick Oven • Perfect Pie

Smoked Chipotle Chili Flakes
Medium
Origin:

Santa Cruz, California

Vine-ripened and smoked over fruit tree branches, hot and smoky.
Vine-ripened and smoked over fruit tree branches, hot and smoky.
Origin:

Santa Cruz, California

Tasting Notes:

Campfire • Roasted Tomato • Hot & Sweet

Heat Level: Medium

Campfire • Roasted Tomato • Hot & Sweet

Red Jalapeño Chili Flakes
Medium
Origin:

Santa Cruz, California

Vine-ripened chilis, spicy and sweet, intensely fresh.
Vine-ripened chilis, spicy and sweet, intensely fresh.
Origin:

Santa Cruz, California

Tasting Notes:

Summer Tomato • Sugar Cane • High Burn

Heat Level: Medium

Summer Tomato • Sugar Cane • High Burn

Jimmy Nardello Sweet Pepper Flakes
No heat
Origin:

Norwich Meadows Farm, NY, USA

Sweet pepper flakes bursting with a creamy, mild, summery flavor.
Sweet pepper flakes bursting with a creamy, mild, summery flavor.
Origin:

Norwich Meadows Farm, NY, USA

Tasting Notes:

Cherry • Sun-Dried Tomato • Summer Bounty

Heat Level: No heat

Cherry • Sun-Dried Tomato • Summer Bounty

SOURCING

Sourcing image

Black Urfa Chili starts out as a red, sweet, spicy pepper almost identical to the more famous Aleppo pepper. It's grown in the hills around the ancient Turkish city of Urfa, where the hot, dry days, cold nights and sandy soil are part of its unique terroir. After harvesting, it's cured in the sun, where it changes color from red to black and develops its characteristic flavor profile, reminiscent of chocolate and dried fruits, with a lingering burn. It goes through a final stone-grinding step, where it's ground into flakes between massive granite wheels with a little bit of sea salt and sunflower seed oil. The oil helps preserve its natural texture and flavor and prevents it from drying out (and is delicious, too!).

Meet the Farmer: Bekir Bey is a chili pepper farmer just outside the city of Urfa, and in this photo he was out picking peppers in the blazing 104-degree heat. He and his family cultivate about 12 acres of chili peppers, almost all of which will be cut up, fermented and ground into the famous Black Urfa Chili Flakes. They spend about 10 months of the year planning, planting, tending, watering and harvesting these very special chili peppers. The combination of pepper variety (same as an Aleppo/Silk Chili), sandy soil, hot dry climate and very particular fermentation method all come together to create a pepper unlike any other in the world.

how do we compare? Supermarket Icon Supermarket Fair Trade Icon Fair Trade
Heirloom Spices Yes No No
Fair Prices for Farmers Yes No Depends on global commodity price
Time in Storage None. We import spices at harvest Up to 10 years At least 1 year
Flavor Profile Intense & fresh Stale & bland Inconsistent
Knows Farmers Names Yes No Unlikely
Customer Service Fast responses from real people! No There might be a 1-800 number?
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