• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Vindulge

BBQ and Grilling Recipes with Wine Pairings

  • Home
  • About
    • About Mary
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work With Me
  • Cookbook
  • Wine
    • Food and Wine Pairing
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Resources
    • Fundamentals For Learning How to Grill
    • Guide to Pellet Grills – Common Q and A
    • Best Pellet Grill – MAK Two Star General – Versatile American Made Pellet Smoker
    • Blogger Resources
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Shop Wines
  • Cookbook
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Wine Guides
  • Blogging Resources
  • Connect with us!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You are here: Home » Food

    Cooking With Green Chile – From Fresh to Canned

    November 5, 2022 By Sean Martin Leave a Comment

    Sharing is caring!

    1 shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Cooking with Fresh Green Chile is a magical experience. Just ask anyone from New Mexico and you’ll hear a lot of opinions about how New Mexican Green Chile is so ingrained in the food and culture of the state. From a green chile sauce of simply roasted chile to the common green Chile stew made with fresh Hatch Valley chile, the varieties of green chile peppers create amazing meals.

    Green chile gradients of red and green chile.

    Article Highlights

    • There are many varieties of “green chile” mostly grown throughout the American Southwest
    • Hatch Green Chiles only originate in the Hatch region of New Mexico.
    • Roasted Green Chile is a great way to add rich smokey flavor to any dish.
    • Red Chile is simply green chile that was ripened longer and with a sweeter profile.
    Jump to:
    • Article Highlights
    • Chile versus Chili
    • New Mexico Green Chile
    • Hatch Chile Peppers
    • Colorado
    • California
    • Growing Season
    • Green Chile Flavor Profile
    • Heat Level
    • Buying
    • Recipes

    Chile versus Chili

    It’s important to note that “chile” references the peppers that make up Green Chile versus “chili” which references the stew-like culinary dishes.

    New Mexico Green Chile

    For millennia the Green Chile was grown by the Pueblo people throughout the Southwest part of the United States. Pueblo Chiles are still cultivated to this day and showcase the diversity of the pepper. There is not one specific type of pepper that is the New Mexican Chile, instead it’s a variety of heirloom peppers.

    The most common type of peppers are the Big Jim, No. 6, No. 9, Sandia, and New Mexico 6-4. The various plants were often bred to change heat levels to appeal to a variety of palates. New Mexico State University plays a big role in the ongoing research and development of chile peppers, and a great resource for research.

    New Mexico even created legislation to be sure that any labeling of the chile properly identified it as a New Mexico chile versus those grown in Colorado or California.

    Hatch Chile Peppers

    In order for a pepper to be labeled Hatch it must be grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico around the town of Hatch, NM. Many chile experts point to the growing conditions in the Hatch Valley as perfect for the distinct flavor and heat profile of Hatch Green Chiles. The Rio Grand River combined with the soil type and weather all make it an ideal place for growing fresh chile.

    Hatch peppers are similar in that they can be many different varieties.

    Colorado

    Like New Mexico, chiles are also grown in Colorado and often referenced in the recipe for Chile Colorado.

    California

    Often the most common chiles found in California are the Anaheim and Poblano varieties.

    Growing Season

    Peppers are planted in the early spring (April) and are harvest season is in late August through December. Hatch Chile Season generally follows the same timeline. Frost, rain, and other environmental factors can speed up or slow down any growing season.

    But you can generally expect to see “Hatch” or “New Mexico” fresh chile in mid August and for a few weeks there after. As October hits that’s when the red chile peppers tend to show up and are then dried for the ristras.

    Green Chile Flavor Profile

    Like any fruit, the varietal of the pepper will define the actual flavor and level of heat as well as the level of ripeness. The color of the chile won’t really change the heat level. Green chiles are harvested early in the growing season and as it sits on the plant they start to turn red later in the growing season. So red chile is simply the green chile varietal that has ripened further.

    A range of colors of Hatch Chiles from green chile to red chile
    • Green Chile – Picked early in the growing season, green chile tends to have a brighter pungent note, smoky flavor, and a little more acidic after cooked.
    • Red Chile – Picked later in the growing season, the red chile will tend to be sweeter in flavor with a little more earthiness when roasted. It tends to lose some of the pungency as well.
    • Dried Red Chiles or Ristra – When red chile is dried at the end of the season you can find ristras, or red chiles that have been tied together to dry into pods. These are great rehydrated for red chile sauce or ground up for chili powder. The dried chiles make a great gift, but be sure when buying that it is food safe.
    Drying ristra of red chiles.

    Heat Level

    Green and Red Chiles will have a range of heat level based on the Scoville Scale of heat units. The higher the Scoville heat units the hotter a pepper generally will be. You won’t know how hot an Anaheim green chile pepper is when buying fresh, but generally a larger pepper can be milder than a smaller pepper. If looking for specific New Mexico chile that is hotter buy the jarred or canned chile as they are labeled mild, medium, and hot. Or seek out hot peppers you know are spicy, like a jalapeño or habanero.

    Buying

    New Mexico chiles must have originated in the state. If searching for New Mexico or Hatch green chilies then be sure to look at the labeling. Grocery stores will have them property labeled. If they aren’t labeled New Mexico or Hatch then they will have originated from another state.

    • Freshly Roasted – Depending on where you live, you can find freshly roasted green chile at your local grocery store in the late summer and early fall.
    • Farmers Markets – Freshly roasted peppers are often at farmers markets, however these are likely locally grown peppers, like Anaheim peppers or poblano peppers. If the peppers are sourced from farms in New Mexico then they should be labeled as New Mexico or Hatch Green Chiles.
    • Canned Green Chile – You can find these in the Mexican aisle of the grocery store. Hatch Green chile cans are a brand that are specifically from the Hatch valley.
    • Jarred Roasted Green Chile – There are many companies that will roast peppers and then jar them for consumption all year. Often these are found as well in the Mexican aisle of the grocery store.
    • Dried – You will find many varieties of dried chiles. Be sure you look at the heat level to understand how hot they are. Dried chiles are most often red chiles and great to use as a base for sauces and Texas chili dishes.
    • Frozen – You can find frozen bags of green chile or even roast and freeze them yourself for use throughout the year. Frozen chiles are best if used within the year of roasting.
    • Alternatives – You can always buy Anaheim chiles and roast them yourself if you can’t find the New Mexican varieties.

    In our green chile recipes we will generally use fresh roasted chile during the late summer and jarred throughout the rest of the year. If we specify a canned green chile it’s most commonly the Hatch brand 4-ounce can of diced chiles.

    Recipes

    Here are a few green and red chile recipes that we love to make.

    Grilled Green Chile Pizza on a wooden board.
    Green Chile Pizza Recipe
    Green Chile Pizza brings the flavor of New Mexico to your table. Using roasted green chile, chorizo, and a garlic and olive oil sauce, this green chile pizza recipe will wow your tastebuds.
    Full Recipe
    Smoked Sausage and Hatch Chili Beer Cheese Dip
    Smoked Sausage and Hatch Chile Beer Cheese Dip Recipe
    Creamy, smoky, Smoked Sausage Hatch Chile Beer Cheese Dip is the Ultimate Beer Cheese Dip appetizer! Perfect for tailgating season.
    Full Recipe
    Red chile sauce in a dish.
    Authentic Red Chile Sauce Recipe (Enchilada Sauce)
    An authentic dried chili based red sauce that is mixed in a blender and can be used as an easy enchilada sauce or enhanced for other recipe options.
    Full Recipe
    Easy Greek Yogurt Dip Recipe with Green Chile
    An easy 5-ingredient Greek Yogurt Recipe topped with fresh green chile inspired by New Mexico cuisine.
    Full Recipe

    « Easy Greek Yogurt Dip Recipe With Green Chile
    How To Roast Green Chiles in the Grill or Oven »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Mary-Cressler-Sept-2015-smI'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, and founder of Vindulge and author of Fire + Wine cookbook.  Thanks for stopping by!

    Learn More...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

    Fire and Wine Cookbook Cover.

    Get Ready for Summer

    Smoked Brisket

    What’s on our Grill

    Tri Tip fajitas and peppers in a cast iron skillet.

    Easy Grilled Tri-Tip Fajitas Recipe

    Verde chicken tacos on a serving platter

    Super Easy Verde Chicken Tacos

    Vegetarian Chili in a bowl with cheese and a spoon.

    The Ultimate Vegetarian Chili Recipe

    Pulled pork breakfast hash in a cast iron pan.

    Pulled Pork Breakfast Hash

    More

    As Seen On

    Products we love

    taking the temperature of a porchetta roast on the grill
    We use Thermoworks Signals BBQ Alarm to monitor the internal temperature of the meat while it’s cooking, then double check with an instant read thermometer, like the Thermapen One.

    Vindulge Wine Club

    join the wine club side bar

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work with Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Vindulge

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    1 shares