What is the Red Powder on Mexican Corn

We may earn commissions for purchases made through links on our site. Learn more on our about us page.

Chili powder is usually the red garnish sprinkled on top of elote or grilled Mexican street corn. Two types of chili powder are used to garnish this dish, one of them being Tajin.

Tajin is a type of chili powder-based seasoning that is used to top many things besides grilled corn. It is widely available at any grocery store you can think of, and you probably already have some sitting in your cabinet.

Although you may have already heard of the famous red powder, we are going to discuss what it’s made of and how you can use it on virtually any food!

What is the Powder Made of?

Chili powder is made of a blend of chilis and other spices. The type of chilis used varies depending on the brand of chili powders and can include ancho chilis, New Mexico chilis, or Cascabel chilis.

Chili powder also blends other spices such as cumin and oregano with the chilis.

Tajin chili powder doesn’t have the fine powdery texture of typical chili powder. Instead, it is more roughly blended with a combination of arbol chilis.

Tajin adds to the flavor of the chili powder by adding salt and dehydrated lime, giving it its signature spicy, tangy flavor. There are even variations of tajin made with habanero peppers to add even more of a kick.

However, the classic version of tajin is the one most commonly used on Mexican street corn.

 

Where Can You Buy it?

If you walk into any given grocery store and ask one of the attendants where the Tajin seasoning is, they will likely guide you to their Mexican foods section, which will sit on the top shelf.

Of course, plain chili powder is a common spice used in cooking, so you can also find that at your local supermarket.

If you want to go for Tajin, which packs more of a punch than plain chili powder, there are many options for spicy, mild, or even liquid tajin.

You might even want to buy two because you will be topping a lot more than Mexican corn with this household name chili seasoning.

 

On What Meals Can You Put It As well?

Tajin chili powder can go on anything you can think of, including but not limited to:

 

• Popcorn
• Cocktails
• Candy
• Veggies
• Fruit

 

There is almost nothing you can’t top with Tajin. It is such a popular and, might we add, addicting chili powder that it has been put on every food in the food pyramid.

If you don’t believe us, try it. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner can feature this as a yummy, tangy garnish. Even dessert.

Some people even top their vanilla ice cream with it! There are so many things that can be topped with this seasoning, and now we are going to talk about what exactly you can put tajin on in a little more detail.

 

Can You Use the Powder on Meat?

Though it was originally marketed to garnish different fruits and vegetables, Tajin chili powder is perfect for rubbing steaks, seasoning seafood, and any other meat you can think of.

This savory, hot seasoning pairs well with grilled shrimp, fried fish, and many other meat dishes. It can also be used as a marinade for different meat dishes.

With its perfect blend of citrus, chilis, and sea salt, Tajin chili powder is a one-stop-shop for your meat seasoning needs (and anything else that could use some exciting flavor, really)!

The Tajin brand has a library of main course meat recipes on their site, with chili-lime seasoning as the main ingredient, from pork ribs and black bean burgers to pot pies and shrimp.

There are no limits when using it in meat dishes!

 

Are there Any Desserts with it?

Have we mentioned that you can put Tajin chili powder on anything? Okay, we mean everything!

You can try some desserts that feature the famous chili-lime powder. For example, there are mango popsicles infused with Tajin, and mango sorbet goes great with a dash of Tajin on top.

The Tajin brand even offers different dessert recipes with the popular zesty, spicy seasoning as a key ingredient. The recipes range from cooling avocado ice cream, refreshing pineapple pops, and flaky Tajin apple galettes.

There are a host more recipes out there, including this fiery, tangy chili powder, but we hope you get the picture. The options are endless, with dessert dishes and Tajin chili powder.

 

Final Thoughts on Red Powder on Mexican Corn

We have brought you full circle by answering your pressing questions about the mysterious red powder garnish you have seen on Mexican street corn. After doing some reading, the red powder should not be so mysterious.

As an added bonus, we have given you some fun ideas on all the foods you can sprinkle this red powder on and given you details on how easy it is to find in your local grocery store.

We cannot stress enough how addicting this “red powder” is. It’s so addicting you will be putting it on corn and everything else!

 

Leave a comment