Chile, not Chili!

[Keystone]

It's that time of year again! Anyone that has lived in New Mexico knows that life revolves around the Long Green Chile, especially in and around Hatch, NM. I lived in Las Cruces, MN for a few years as well as El Paso, TX. Fell in love with the food.

So every August, some years before Sturgis, some years after Sturgis, I get three bushels of LGC that the produce manager at a local grocery store gets for in me. They get roasted, then frozen. I normally run out just as July is coming to an end. Wife and I just spent close to 3 hours cleaning and roasting these. I will break them down into quart freezer bags later on. They have to cool first. We ended up with 32 quart size freezer bags of more or less the same weight. In a normal year we run out somewhere around the end of July.



Set aside 2 dozen real nice ones. Wife made Chile Rellenos . I made a red Chile Sauce and cheese sauce to go with them. A few of our friends and her parents came over to sample them! And yes they were good!

[AquaMan]

Looks good!

[Rangerdrvr59]

Oh lord come on ice cream

[ryand]

THAT STUPID PEPPER IS MY OBSESSION IN LATE AUGUST!!!!! I had them once in Texas years ago....roasted. A few years ago they popped up for a weekend at a grocery store in St. Louis...Freshly roasted as well. I bought everything they had and vacuumed sealed. I am now completely out. Nadda. Zilch and will I believe go "Dry" for this year. Part of the fun was actually finding them. No luck this season. I am very jealous!!!!

[jeff64]

Isn't that the same thing as a poblano pepper? Love those chile rellanos but, I do mess up the DW's kitchen making them

[Mrs Evans]

I'm salivating! Sounds so yummy!

[ryand]

Originally Posted by jeff64

Isn't that the same thing as a poblano pepper? Love those chile rellanos but, I do mess up the DW's kitchen making them

They look similar but they are not according to the Hatch New Mexico Hatch pepper farmers and lobbyist paid to promote the Hatch Pepper. Seriously they are good and good with everything. Love em. If you like poblano or Anaheim Chiles you will love a Hatch. I have not heard much but Pueblo Co grows a mean chile as well due to the climate of hot days and cold nights. Its apparently like a steak when you cut it open...very meaty pepper.

[NMWildcat]

Most of my family still lives in Hatch. I escaped If you want authentic chile from Hatch here are some good websites from companies actually in Hatch that you can order from:

https://www.hatch-green-chile.com/

https://younggunsproduce.com/

Hatch Chile Express – Best Chile in the World

Or one of our favorites in Las Cruces: https://www.facebook.com/Lujan-Farms-185637008211657/

Some farmers do contract with wholesalers, like Melissa's, but I never trust a company from Los Angeles to sell chile

Most folks around here use the spelling 'chile' when talking of the plant or the pod. 'Chili' is used when talking about a recipe containing chile and/or other ingredients. And then some just don't care

And it's true, we have tried chile from all over the country, and it just doesn't taste the same as chile grown in the Hatch valley.

[Keystone]

Originally Posted by NMWildcat

And it's true, we have tried chile from all over the country, and it just doesn't taste the same as chile grown in the Hatch valley.

Agree wholeheartedly! I've had good LGC's from other areas but nothing beats the ones from that area. I only wish I could order Big Jims from my grocer. These look and taste like NM64's. Not hot enough to be Sandia or Barker.

[raytwntrvlr]

Spent a couple months down that way years ago and fell in love with Hatch Chiles. There was a restaurant in Deming on main street that really knew what to do with those babies.

Another place that knew what to do with them was the Grill in Leadville (before it burned down)

Best I have ever eaten.

[seagrace]

I'm a chile fanatic as well. I highly recommend the Numex Heritage 6-4 if you can find it. Along with adding green chile to just about anything I eat, I found that adding a spoonful to a bowl of cottage cheese is absolute nirvana.

p.s. - I think I know that place in Deming. I always stop there on the annual chile run.

[BamaBob]

NOTHING better than Hatch green chile!! We lived in Las Cruces for over 13 years and became absolutely addicted to the stuff!


We usually place a August order (I can still remember the smell throughout Mesilla valley in August!) A couple of weeks ago our son called and Low and Behold what is the local Wally World carrying here in Huntsville, AL?


505 Products!! (Green Chili, Red Sauce, and Salsa) I'm in NM Heaven!


[People not from NM will not "get" the 505 so let me 'splain )


back in the day 505 was the area code for NM and 505 Salsa is some of the best out there because they exclusively use Hatch Chili

[seagrace]

Fortunately, here in Arizona, Costco sells huge jars of 505 chopped - helps get one through the spring summer months when the frozen supplies dwindle...