Hatch Chiles by the Tote Sack

[Pachanga]

Picked up a few Hatch, New Mexico chiles.  For those unfamiliar, these chiles are raised around the Village (their word, not mine) of Hatch, New Mexico (population 1600).  Hatch is located in a long narrow valley between two mountain ranges.  The Rio Grande meanders through the valley southeastward flowing between Juarez and El Paso, there becoming the border between Texas and Mexico all the way to the Gulf.  

Only chiles grown in the Hatch Valley are supposed to marketed as Hatch Chiles.  Stories abound about counterfeit knockoffs being sold as Hatch so I buy from a small local market that picks them up in their own truck (even then the chain of custody can be questionable).  The true Hatch chiles are famous for their quality and flavor.  In Texas, from early August to mid September, these peppers are found in many stores.  This is the only time they are available, so you buy for the year.  

To use the peppers, a tough skin must be removed.  It is preferable to just blister the skin which will loosen it enough to peel without cooking the chile and drying it out.  Large expanded metal rotating barrels are set up in parking lots  and the peppers are roasted with propane flames.  A thin smoke trial gently reaching skyward and the unmistakable aroma of roasting chiles leads you to your destination.    I prefer to blister my own for better quality control and to get the most out of the chile  (it is just not right to have the same guy who sacks your groceries running the chile hopper.  I am sure some turn into skilled chile roasters this time of year but I have observed him sacking groceries and his skills there do not increase my confidence).

Hatch chiles come in mild, medium and hot.  I usually buy hot and mild, combining the two for medium.  Many people think that a chile is always hot.  A mild chile is just that - mild.  It is used to flavor guisada (stew), salsas, eggs, etc without adding heat.  It is a flavor that cannot be duplicated.  Once tasted, it becomes an addiction that cannot be cured.



These were brought in by a local farmer's market.  I bought them the day after they arrived via refrigerated truck.  Talk about fresh, firm and crisp.  The white tint is a little frost as I kept them in my refrigerator until time to blister.

2 1/4 bushels - around 75 pounds.  I usually put up 150 pounds a year.

A small part of one bushel on a high heat grill. The only way to stay cool is to turn a pepper and take a drink.

Getting blistered.

After self steaming in a lidded pan for a few minutes to further loosen the skin, they are lined up on plastic coated butcher paper.

Rolled.  This is maybe a forth of a tote sack.  Now they are placed in a freezer bag and into the freezer to be unrolled one chile at a time and peeled to order throughout the year.  These freeze well with no loss of flavor.  Some will be peeled and vacuum packed.

Peeled and ready to use.  Still firm and fleshy.  The chiles turn orange as they ripen.  As they become red, the skin cannot be loosened from the flesh.  Red chiles are dried and woven into decorative ristas to be rehydrated for pureeing (enchilada sauce, Puerco Pibil or maybe Carne Adovada) or they are pulverized into New Mexico Ground Chile (that is what flavors that big old bowl of Texas Red).

I had run out from last year and was relegated to using canned chiles or fresh Anaheim but mostly I turn to fresh Poblanos.  Wow, I had forgotten the difference in quality and flavor.  These are Authentic True Blue Green Hatch Valley Chiles grown with Rio Grande irrigation and shaded by mountain peaks.  Green and a red salsa were made immediately.  Some were added to fresh ground brisket with ground bacon for a fast burger (one on top for good measure and a little heat).  Huevos Rancheros Verde were next.   Deviled eggs with a generous addition of chiles was a must.  Buffalo wings with chiles added to the traditional sauce is on the menu for tomorrow.  Hatch Green Chile Stew, Dove Guisada, Green Chicken Enchiladas, Green Chile Cheese Grits with Bacon, Green Chile and Roasted Corn Soup, Guacamole laced with Chiles, Chile Rellenos, Tamales Verde, etc, etc will all be part of future pachangas.

I had better go buy some more chiles before I run out.

Good luck and keep it green,

Pachanga

[Habanero Smoker]

That's a lot of chiles.

[punchlock]

That was a great piece of writing, all very interesting and the chiles look great.

[BuyLowSellHigh]

Those are beautiful!  I really admire your dedication to the task, Pachanga.

Hatch chiles are, well, a wonderful thing.  I'm jealous - haven't found a source for the fresh ones around here and I am reluctant to order when the harvest season comes just as we head into the peak of hurricane season.  So I settle for buying the frozen roasted and peeled, similar to what you have done, as the season winds down.

A couple of sources for others who may be interested ...

For fresh (no longer available this year) or frozen
http://www.hatch-chile.com/

For dried, I like these guys
http://www.thechileshop.com/

[Pachanga]

BLSH,

Try Central Market.  I used to buy them by the the half bushel box there for around twenty bucks.  They are probably out by this time of year but they may have made one more run.   As particular as they are about produce, I am sure they have the real deal.  I have read several articles that assure it to be so.

Pachanga

[BuyLowSellHigh]

Thanks, Pachanga.  I'll try to remember that next year.  Yeah I heard the chiles in the fields are now all turning red, so green season appears done.

[Caneyscud]

Agree on the Central Market.  Bought a bushel 4 or 5 years ago from them.  Wasn't cheap, but did not have much choice.  I know it doesn't help with your location, but there is a big butcher shop in New Braunfels that goes up and gets them also.  Still one of my favoriet ways to eat them is to put a roasted on on a big, thick juicy wood-grilled hamburger that has had some of that Kraft Garlic cheese melted on top.  Heaven on a bun.  Yeh, it's cheap cheese, but dagnabbit there are lots of time I like cheap cheese!  But since we don't get fresh or frozen Hatch Chilis up here much (very rare), I don't get the treat very often - expecially since I think Kraft has stopped making the Garlic Cheese. 

BTW --- You know whether you are a foodie or not if you deem a trip back home to be fun if you got to go to Central Market and not by how long you got to be with the folks!! 

[KevinG]

You must have your refrigerator set pretty cold to get frost like that on them. Interesting write up, so they don't get mushy after freezing them?

[Pachanga]

You must have your refrigerator set pretty cold to get frost like that on them. Interesting write up, so they don't get mushy after freezing them?

Good catch.  That refrigerator is set at 33 degrees.  The meat and vegetable drawers will freeze and some of these chiles may have gotten frost bite.  I change it to meet the needs at the time.

I am not going to say that the texture is as nice as when peeled fresh but frozen with the skin on, the flavor is outstanding and the texture is more than acceptable.   Usually the chiles are used in a chopped or pureed fashion so it doesn't matter much.  A relleno is better fresh.

Pachanga

[Carter]

Fantastic Post and great pics.  Thanks Pachanga.  I'll definitely put this post in my favourites section for reference.

Carter

[NePaSmoKer]

Great post pachanga  ;D

I can almost smell em  ;D

[muzzletim]

Being in New Mexico we use them all the time! They become addictive after awhile. My son and I just finnished Antelope hunting and we both got one. I cut them up and when I made my sausage I put in a bunch of fresh roasted chiles. It made great sausage!

[DTAggie]

Have about 4 pounds vac sealed and frozen as I mentioned on a previous post.  When I first brought them home from Market Street, fresh out of the roaster, I seeded and chopped up a batch.  Wife absolutely loves them and has been taking them on her sandwiches every day to work (school teacher).  Now I am the bad guy because I will not give all the beggars any.

[Pachanga]

Being in New Mexico we use them all the time! They become addictive after awhile. My son and I just finnished Antelope hunting and we both got one. I cut them up and when I made my sausage I put in a bunch of fresh roasted chiles. It made great sausage!

Now that's what I'm talking about.  Addictive.  The sausage sounds like a winner.

Pachanga