Roasted Hatch Chile

Hatch Chiles are a delicious pepper that are grown in Hatch Valley, New Mexico. They’re a staple of New Mexican cuisine, featured in dishes like enchiladas and burritos.

These peppers generally have a mild heat, though you can also purchase some on the spicier end. Their flavor profile has more depth than most peppers. They have been described as having spicy, smokey, as well as onion and garlic-like notes. 

They’re generally in season during August and September. We always buy a large box, then roast and freeze them to use throughout the rest of the year. 

Ingredients

• Hatch Chiles – In late Summer, fresh Hatch Chiles start to become available at supermarkets and farmer’s market.

If you’re having a hard time finding them in your area, consider ordering them from The Hatch Chile store. I bought a 10lb box from them this year and the peppers arrived in great condition. 

How to roast

1. Place hatch chiles in a single layer on a baking sheet.
2. Poke a few holes in each one of the chiles using a fork. 
3. Bake under your oven’s broiler for 6-8 minutes on each side, until the skin is blistered. 
4. Gently peel the skin off of each pepper. 

Tips

1. Place peppers in a paper bag after roasting to “steam” them and allow for easier skin peeling. 
2. You can also roast your chiles on the grill. Just cook them over high-heat for about 4-6 minutes until skin is blackened. 
3. Want to get fancy? Though less traditional, these chile roasting apparatuses make roasting a breeze. 

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If you don’t want to use your chiles right away, you should freeze them. All you need to do is but them in an airtight bag. I use a FoodSaver to vacuum seal them. 

I chop some of the Hatch Chiles and seal 1 cup in each bag. This makes using them in recipes that call for chopped hatch a breeze. 

Other chiles I keep whole. You can choose to peel them or not or before storing. Leaving the peel on can help preserve the pepper better, but ultimately it comes down to preference. 

Ways to use hatch chiles

In dips like queso and salsa, or to make sauces for burritos and enchiladas. 

They are also delicious diced, then used to top chili dogs or burgers. 

A favorite way of ours is to make New Mexico style chiles rellenos, which are stuffed with cheese, covered in egg battered, then deep fried.