DIY Roasting Green Chili's New Mexico Style

How to Roast Chiles in Your Own Kitchen

Okay, so if you don’t live here in New Mexico you probably don’t have chile roasters set-up outside every grocery store in the fall. Well, you are missing one of the most mouth watering smells ever! But, you can learn to easily have these flavors of the New Mexico Southwest in your own kitchen.

Do keep in mind this my melding of Midwestern and Southwestern!

Things you will need:

A dozen or more green chiles (red would be okay too)

Buy the fresh long New Mexico green/red types that have names like Big Jim, Rio Grande, Hatch Chile. In some parts of the country I have found them under names like Anaheim or MesillaValley.

Gas stove open flame or hot cast iron pan

Long handled tongs

Brown paper bag

Plastic throw-away gloves (like you buy at the dollar type stores)

Knife

Cutting board

Here is what you do with the things you need!

Wash and thoroughly dry your chiles.

Lay them directly on the gas flame (or in the very hot pre-heated cast iron pan)

Turn them as the skin blisters. Once blistered on all sides remove from flame or pan and place in the brown bag. This will ‘sweat’ the peppers. Once they are cool pull them out of the bag (have your gloves on!) and gently slide off the skin.

Use the cutting board to slice them open and remove the seed IF you want more flavor than hot, or if you cannot tolerate the heat. The more seeds you leave in your chiles the hotter the chiles will be.

Now you can freeze them for future use OR use them right now.

Here is a decidedly Midwestern thinking on how to use the chiles you have just prepared but it works and is delicious. Make standard gravy and toss in the chiles you just prepared. This is good on potatoes, meats, and enchiladas etc.!!

Try mixing the chiles with cream cheese or sour cream for a great dip!

In New Mexico we will ask you “Red or Green?” because it is assumed you want some of these delicious flavors on your food. We just need to know which you prefer. Oh! It is certainly okay to ask “Which is hotter?” and then make your selection based on your own tastes! Oh, it is also okay to request "Christmas" which means half and half!