Hatch peppers are here

[marlin39a]

I bought a bunch at Safeway the other day. They were mild, and tasty. 99 cents per lb. I just roasted another batch, and they're killer hot. Chorizo, eggs, chilies , and tortillas for breakfast. Might have to have it for dinner tonight too, with a cold IPA. Sure sign that Summer is almost over.

[Char-Gar]

I bought a bunch at Safeway the other day. They were mild, and tasty. 99 cents per lb. I just roasted another batch, and they're killer hot. Chorizo, eggs, chilies , and tortillas for breakfast. Might have to have it for dinner tonight too, with a cold IPA. Sure sign that Summer is almost over.

The New Mexico green chili is a superior pepper and comes in various levels of heat. The vast majority of these peppers are grown in Luna County NM where Deming is the county seat. Hatch NM is in Dona Anna County and that is where the cannery is located.

[RKJ]

There was (is) a farmers market in Corralles (right beside Alberquque, on the west side as you go up to Rio Rancho) and they would roast the green peppers after you bought them. My wife & I both have fond memories of it We just saw yesterday that one of our local grocers had some Hatch peppers and were roasting them for customers. We should have stopped and got some but didn't

[Omega]

I get mine from Denver, a family member will purchase them, roasted, then they will freeze them so they can mail them to us. We vacuum seal and freeze them to last us all year. Anytime we are there for the season, we hand carry them back. I should build a rotary roaster to get them sent fresh, it would save a bunch of hassle. I love hatch chili for smothered burritos, just can't duplicate that taste with any other pepper.

[Wag]

Yep. Time to go get mine. That place in Corrales that RKJ is talking about is Wagner Farms. They get some great chiles there, mild, medium and hot. This gringo can deal with the medium pretty well.

I make a green chile recipe with pork that comes out pretty fantastic.

Now I'm hungry........ :wink:

--Wag--

[shtur]

What are some recipes using those chilies ?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

The local family grocery chain (Coborns) offered them last Friday and Saturday. They made a big thing about it, roasting them for customers and such. It didn't go over that well, at least, at the Glencoe store it didn't, I think maybe no one knows of them around here? They charged $2.99 lb.

[MT Gianni]

They make the best Chile Rellenos ever.

[pjames32]

In my part of New Mexico, Hatch chile is used in everything....
I like enchildadas and burritos best!

[Wag]

In my part of New Mexico, Hatch chile is used in everything....
I like enchildadas and burritos best!

Amen to the enchiladas. :wink:

--Wag--

[marlin39a]

What are some recipes using those chilies ?

This is an easy one. Take 4 long, uncooked chilies. Cut off stem end, and cut open. Remove seeds, and stuff with cream cheese, wrap well with bacon. Bake at 350 until bacon is crisp, about 40 minutes. Enjoy.

[johnho]

I get mine from a farm directly. Not 0.99 a pound for sure. Mine run more like $4 a pound with 2 day delivery. Arrived a few weeks ago and spent afternoon roasting, bagging and freezing in vacuum packages. Yes, they're expensive that way but I know exactly where they come from. Been getting them from the same farm for many years. Always fantastic.

[johnho]

Here's a simple chip dip recipe I made up some time ago. Adjust the ingredients to your tastes so what I give is "about".
2 16 oz containers of sour cream
6 HATCH roasted green chilis cut up
about 1 medium onion chopped, i do it a bit coarse
3 cloves of crushed garlic
about 2 tablespoons of cumin
about 3 or more tablespoons of ground red chili, not the flakes
Salt to taste


Mix it all together and let it sit overnight. that way the onions get nice and soft marinating and the flavors can come out.

[marlin39a]

Johnho, are you using roasted hatch, or raw?

[johnho]

Sorry, I corrected the recipe to include roasted.

[Omega]

How long does the season last? I figure I need to get me a bushel soon.

[marlin39a]

Season is short. Maybe 3 weeks, and they're gone.

[DougGuy]

I grew some this year, they stayed on the bush long enough to turn red. Very mild, too mild for me.

[Wag]

If you want 'em hot, you can increase the heat by reducing the amount of water you give 'em right after the blossoms are done. The seeds you get can also determine which are hot and which are not.

--Wag--

[Fishman]

My wife picked up some more hatch peppers from HEB along with three Prime New York strip steaks from the meat counter. Total bill was right at $20 since the steak was $9.99 a lb. We roasted them on the grill at the same time as the steak and ate them together with some instant pot homemade Mac and cheese with broccoli. We roasted about 8 of them because she wanted leftovers but there wasn’t any.

[marlin39a]

For those folks who never tried them, here's how to roast: Get the grill hot, burners on high. Lay the Hatch Chilies on the grate, close the lid. Let them go a few minutes, you'll hear them cooking. Open lid , and turn them over. The skin should be turned black. When all blackened, put them in a bowl, and cover. Let them steam in their heat for at least a half hour. Now comes the work. Cut off the stem end, slice open, clean out the seeds. Store in a container for use in the fridge, or put in freezer bag for future.
I suggest trying mild first, as the flavor is fantastic. They are available in different heat ranges. Some will burn you good. I use them with eggs in the morning. Great on cheeseburgers. Pork stew with tomatillos. Lots of recipes on the web.

[Wag]

When I roast them, I use a charcoal grill and mesquite chips. Otherwise, everything as Marlin just said. Great stuff there.

--Wag--

[marlin39a]

I have also used a propane weed burner to roast them quickly on a grill grate. I'm making a Safeway run soon to get more!

[johnho]

My wife picked up some more hatch peppers from HEB along with three Prime New York strip steaks from the meat counter. Total bill was right at $20 since the steak was $9.99 a lb. We roasted them on the grill at the same time as the steak and ate them together with some instant pot homemade Mac and cheese with broccoli. We roasted about 8 of them because she wanted leftovers but there wasn’t any.

For a really great steak topping take about 4 or five of the roasted chilies and add about 2 gloves of crushed garlic and mix. Fantastic. We all know garlic is one of the main food groups. :mrgreen:

[marlin39a]

I woke up my thread from 2018. Yes, the hatch chilies are here in 2021, and they’re still .99 cents a lb. I’m busy roasting, peeling, bagging, and freezing. And eating. Get them while you can. The season isn’t long.

[dale2242]

There was a booth set up in front of the local Walmart selling hatch peppers yesterday.

[zarrinvz24]

Having grown up in Abq and spending much time camping in the areas around TorC, there really isn’t much I miss other than green chili season. I loved smelling the roasters in the grocery store parking lot cooking chiles up. Take care everyone!

[LenH]

I found some at our local Kroger yesterday. But at $4 a pound makes them a bit pricey. But I got 3 bags so 3#. Fired up my grill with natural lump
and got to roasting. I put them in a pyrex dish that had a cover and that 3# really shrank down. After dinner I skinned those pods and rough chopped and ended up
with just a bit less than a quart jar full.

BTW our local Walmart carries the 505 brand of roasted green chilies and will do in a pinch & they are good but not as good as fresh roasted ones.

[Wag]

I've never liked the 505 brand. The Bueno Foods chile in a jar products are a lot better.

Probably going to head out today and get our fresh roasted. I may roast mine myself but that's a ton of work. Usually, I use the charcoal grill and throw in some mesquite chips. The resulting flavor blend is truly amazing!

--Wag--

[Char-Gar]

Having grown up in Abq and spending much time camping in the areas around TorC, there really isn’t much I miss other than green chili season. I loved smelling the roasters in the grocery store parking lot cooking chiles up. Take care everyone!

I hear you. I lived in Deming for a few years and when they were roasting chilies in the grocery store parking lot, you could smell it all over the town. People would line up to get them.

[Cast10]

We got some fresh Hatch at local HEB last weekend.
Had some friends over and smoked a pork butt, chickens, tortillas, and chilles.
The chilles (hatch) made it! Pellet smoker on 375, roasted, turned, and peeled.
Great stuff!

[rockrat]

a bowl of pork green chili-----MMMMMM good eating. Like mine with a good kick. Fruit stands around here have the Hatch chili's in and have their roasters going. Smells wonderful driving by.

[Fishman]

Wow, thanks for the heads-up! I've been pre-occupied but you can bet that I will be making an HEB run pronto.

[downzero]

Hatch is in my adopted home county, and I'm glad to see everyone else likes chile as much as we do! If I hadn't moved here, I wouldn't even know how great they were.

[green mountain boy]

i too love the hatch chilis...while reading this thread my almost bald head broke out in a sweat,then im giggeling as i type !

[bigbore442001]

I bought a couple of pounds the other day at Wegman's. This was the last batch for sale and I had to pick through some mushy ones. They make a great salsa.

[johnho]

I get them often from the Hatch Store and pre-order them to be shipped. Get them in 2 days by air. Last batch I was a bit disappointed in them because there were too many small chilis with not much "meat" on them. Really hard to peel. Regardless I'll still order them as they are the BEST out there. Nice people to deal with too. I had to keep delaying my order due to traveling and they worked with me every time. Definitely will pre-order in 2022 again.

[Wag]

They're not quite as spicy this year. We had a lot of rain leading up to the harvest and that always dampens everything down a notch or two.

Still great taste, though!

--Wag--

[Thundarstick]

Just what makes a Hatch pepper so special?

We have a local family owned sausage factory that makes the HEB brand Hatch sausage (yep in West Tennessee) once a year. I like it, and keep several pounds in the freezer. You can't buy it in any stores here, but my son is a maintenance man at the factory, and buys a box when they fill their orders. Taste like green chili sausage to me??