Chile Roasting Season

The Southwest US was hit with weather challenges this year,
so the green chile pepper supply was shorter than we would have liked.
We may have frozen starter packs available in stores for awhile,
but we're putting up the roasters for the season.
Thanks for a great one!!

Every August we bring in fresh Hatch Green Chile
and roast them right at our stores!
Here are a few of our favorite Hatch Green Chile recipes:
(click image for a printable PDF)

Green chile is an essential ingredient in many Southwestern recipes. Roasting the peppers first gives them an intoxicating aroma and mouth-watering flavor; and it makes the peeling process easier.

Preparing Roasted Hatch Green Chile

After roasting your green chile at Johnson’s, we’ll place the peppers in a plastic bag to allow them to “sweat.” This makes it easier to peel off the skin. After the sweating process, peel the peppers, cut off the stem and remove as many of the seeds as you wish. (Seeds add heat but very little flavor.) To remove seeds, squeeze the pod from the pointed end downward and the seeds will squirt out.
Your chile peppers are now ready to use in favorite recipes or you can freeze them for future use.

Roasting Green Chile Peppers at Home

If you purchase fresh green chile and plan to broil them yourself:
1. Rinse and drain the chile. Pierce each chile once near the stem with the sharp point of a knife. If the chile is larger, pierce a second time, near the tip.
2. Spread the chile on a cookie sheet and broil them rapidly until they brown and blister. Be sure to turn them as they blister.
3. When they are evenly browned, remove the chile from the cookie sheet and place them in a cool, damp towel and allow them to steam, 10-20 minutes. After they’ve cooled, remove the chile and peel for immediate use or place in plastic bags for freezing.
4. You can also roast peppers on your outdoor grill.

Freezing Roasted Hatch Green Chile

After removing the stem, roasted green chile may be frozen peeled or unpeeled. If peeled, you may choose to freeze the peppers whole or chopped. Each freezer bag should contain enough for an average recipe. Seal bags tightly and label with the contents and date. If you freeze your chile unpeeled, simply peel as instructed above after the peppers have thawed.

Helpful Hints
• Kitchen gloves are recommended while preparing chile peppers, especially the hotter varieties.
• After preparing the chile, wash your hands with soap and cold water. Do not touch or rub your eyes after handling chile peppers.
• Do not let roasted green chile set out over night. Refrigerate!
• Thaw frozen green chile in refrigerator or microwave.