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How to roast, store, and cook with Hatch chilies
If you happen to live in the southwest part of America, in the month of August, have you noticed the big cylinder roasters outside your grocery stores? And the giddy, salivating people who can’t wait to get their hands on their box of fresh roasted, steamy, smoky green chilies? You’ve seen them, right? The people who know How to roast store and cook with Hatch chilies.
Here’s what’s going on – It’s Hatch Chili Season!
This is an annual tradition unique to the Southwest. If you buy a whole box of Hatch chilies, the store will roast them for you.
This is extremely popular, particularly in New Mexico and Texas. I became a devotee when I lived in Southern Nevada.
What the heck is a Hatch?
Hatch chilies are slender, green chili peppers that look like an Anaheim chili that’s been to Weight Watchers. Named after the town of Hatch, New Mexico, the only region where they’re grown.
Chili-heads get excited about “the season” because these chilies are only available for a few weeks each year, from August to early September.
If you don’t live in an area that has the Hatch chili magically appear in August you can have them shipped to your house from these good folks here. The Hatch Chili Store will express ship them to you. Here is a link: The Hatch Chili Store Roasted Hatch Green Chiles
Hatch chilies are the perfect chili-loving balance of flavor and heat. They taste very harsh raw so they are nearly always roasted. Flame roasting creates caramelization of sugars, which adds a tantalizing smoky flavor to the chili. That’s why people are doing the happy dance in front of the grocery mart.
Hatch chilies come in three levels of heat; mild, medium and hot. The hot is really hot! I suggest choosing mild because it just works in so many recipes.
You got a box, now what do you do?
Rule number one – Respect the pepper!
Capsicum is an irritant to skin and eyes. You must take precautions. Before you touch the peppers – remove your contact lenses, wear gloves and a long-sleeved shirt. Have a sink of warm soapy water ready to wash everything that comes in contact with the peppers. Don’t touch your face, eyes or anything delicate (ahem) with your peppery gloves. You’ll live to regret it and never forget it.
If you bought a whole box at the grocery store, they will usually roast the peppers for free. Then you take it home, hot and toasty, wrapped in a plastic bag. This is perfect because the trapped steam will help the pepper skin separate from the pepper flesh.
If you buy less than a box, or you choose to roast them yourself, here are the easy instructions.
How to Roast Hatch Chilis
You can either fire up your BBQ or heat your oven to 425°F. Place your peppers in a single layer either on the grill or on a baking sheet. Cook the peppers until all the skin is darkened and blistered. This will depend on the size of the peppers and the heat of your BBQ. The last time I roasted Hatch chilies, it took 18 minutes in my oven, flipping them over half way through.
As soon as you have blistered, darkened peppers; place them in a paper or plastic bag to trap the heat and steam. Let them sit until they cool.
Once the peppers have cooled, the blistered skin will easily pull off the chili with an occasional help from a rinse in water. After you’ve peeled the skin from the pepper, open the pepper and scrape the seeds out with a spoon. Discard the seeds.
Now the peppers are ready to be enjoyed but a box is a whole lot of peppers. Thankfully they freeze beautifully.
How to Freeze Hatch Chilis
To keep the best flavor freeze them as soon as possible after roasting. Ideally within a couple of hours.
You can freeze whole peppers without peeling them but I recommend preparing them so they’re recipe ready. To avoid your peppers turning into mush they must freeze quickly as slow freezing causes ice crystals.
Place them in shallow layers and freeze. Place cup measures of frozen peppers in zippered freezer bags, squeeze the air out and seal. Freeze flat and stack to save space. Peppers can be stored safely in the freezer for 12-18 months.
What can you do with hatch chilies? In Southwest cuisine green chili is so popular you find it in practically everything, even desserts.
Here are two recipes you’ll love:
Lasagna with a twist? Diva’s Meatless Mexican Lasagna
Hatch Chili and Tomato Casserole
You can make salsa, put them in cheeseburgers, pizza, burritos, soups, stews, casseroles, egg dishes, baked into bread, the list goes on and on.
If you enjoy the flavor of chilies, then your favorite part of the season will be eating them with everything.
Down the hatch! I couldn’t resist.
HOW TO PREPARE HATCH CHILIES
Ingredients
- Hatch chilis however many you have
Instructions
- Either fire up your BBQ or heat your oven to 425°F degrees.
- Place your peppers in a single layer either on the grill or on a baking sheet.
- Cook the peppers until all the skin is darkened and blistered. This will depend on the size of the peppers and the heat of your BBQ. The last time I roasted Hatch chilies, it took 18 minutes in my oven, flipping them over half way through.
- As soon as you have achieved blistered, darkened peppers, place them in a paper or plastic bag to trap the heat and steam. Let them rest, covered until they cool.
- Once the peppers have cooled, put on some gloves and remove the blistered skin. The skins will easily pull off the chili with an occasional help from a rinse in water.
- After you’ve peeled the skin from the pepper, open the pepper and scrape the seeds out with a spoon. Discard the skin and seeds.
- Now the peppers are ready to be enjoyed but a whole box is a whole lot of peppers. Thankfully they freeze beautifully.
- To keep the best flavor freeze them as soon as possible after roasting. Ideally within a couple of hours.
- Place them on a baking sheet in shallow layers and freeze. Place one cup measures of frozen peppers in zippered freezer bags, squeeze the air out and seal. Freeze flat and stack to save space. Peppers can be stored safely in the freezer for 12-18 months.
Notes
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Roast Chilies at Home with this Universal Rotisserie Basket Grill Accessory
About this item: This rotisserie grill accessory is constructed from food-grade Teflon (patent pending to protect against plagiarism) and is compatible with 1/2" or 3/8" hexagon spit rods, as well as 3/8" or 5/16" square spit rods. It's perfect for preparing small, finely chopped foods like French fries, seafood, chicken wings, and vegetables. The rotating action ensures even cooking, while its self-basting feature keeps your food wonderfully moist and tender.