How to Roast Hatch Chiles

Roasting Hatch Chiles on the Stove

Heat a heavy pan or griddle on the top of the stove over high heat. Place the pan or griddle over the eye of the stove and allow it to heat up for at least 2 to 3 minutes. The temperature of the pan should be somewhere between 300 °F (149 °C) and 500 °F (260 °C). You can also use heavy wire mesh instead of a pan or griddle, although this is not the most commonly used method of roasting hatch chiles. Be sure to avoid touching the pan directly with your hands as it’s heating up; use oven mitts when handling heated cookware.

Lay the chiles on the pan, side by side. Make sure you do not overcrowd the chiles or they will not roast properly. Each chile should have room to stretch out on the hot pan, although it’s fine if some of them are touching each other. For safety, use tongs to place the peppers on the heated pan.

Roast the chiles for about 10 minutes, until the skin blisters. Use tongs to turn the chiles occasionally as they begin to sizzle and blacken on each side. When the chiles become black or dark brown and begin to blister, they’re done. Hold the chiles to the heat with a wooden spoon if they begin to curl up. The heat can cause them to contract, so it’s important to keep the skin on the heat.

Place the chiles in a sturdy plastic bag when they are done roasting. Close the bag and allow the steam to moisten the skin on the chiles until they are cool. Once they’re cool, take them out of the bag. Make sure the bag is completely closed to prevent steam from escaping. The steam is necessary to soften up the skin of the chiles and make it easier to remove.

Peel the skin away from the chile. Use your fingers to gently pull away the dark, blistered skin of the chiles. Discard the skin and the stem and use your chiles or place them in an airtight container and freeze them immediately. The chiles can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months. The skin should come off easily and without too much force. If you find the skin is hard to remove, allow the chile to continue steaming in the bag for a little longer or use a knife to cut away the skin. If you’re peeling several peppers in a row, consider using plastic gloves to protect your fingers.

Using an Oven to Roast Chiles

Preheat the oven by turning the broiler to the high setting. Position the oven rack 6 inches (15 cm) below the broiler heating element, then turn on the broiler. The oven temperature should be somewhere between 400 °F (204 °C) and 450 °F (232 °C). Although you technically can use the baking element of your oven to roast hatch chiles, you should use the broiler element for the best results.

Prick your hatch chiles and place them on an aluminum-lined pan. Place a layer of aluminum foil over a roasting pan or sheet pan, then arrange your peppers in a single layer on the pan. Use a fork to poke 2-3 holes in several places on each pepper to prevent them from exploding as they’re roasting. You can arrange your peppers to be as close together as you like. However, make sure that all of the peppers are equally exposed to the heat coming off the broiler. Using aluminum foil on your pan is technically optional, though it will do a lot to keep your pan clean during this process.

Roast the chiles for about 5 minutes. Place the pan on your top oven rack, taking care not to touch the rack itself. Then, allow the chiles to roast for around 5 minutes or until the skin is blackened and blistered. Keep an eye on the chiles as they’re roasting. You don’t want them to become completely blackened, but instead just mostly charred.

Flip the chiles over and roast them for 5 more minutes. Once the chiles have roasted for about 5 minutes or have been sufficiently charred, use tongs to turn the chiles. Allow the chiles to continue roasting for an additional 5 minutes or until they’re blackened and blistered. The entire process of charring both sides of the chiles should take 10-15 minutes.

Remove the chiles and place them in a covered bowl for 20 minutes. Once the chiles are sufficiently charred, use an oven mitt to remove the pan from the oven and immediately place the chiles in a separate bowl. Then, cover this bowl with plastic wrap and wait 20 minutes to allow the steam to adequately moisten the pepper skins. You can also place the chiles in a large, sealable plastic bag to steam them. Just make sure the bag is airtight and won’t allow steam to escape. Be very careful handling the peppers when transferring them to the bowl or bag, as they will still be very hot.

Peel the skins off the chiles after they’ve cooled. Remove the peppers one at a time from the bag and use your fingers to gently peel off the blackened parts of the skin. If you’re peeling a lot of peppers, consider using plastic gloves to protect your hands. The skin should come away easily at this point. However, if the skin is difficult to remove, you can continue steaming the peppers for a few more minutes or simply use a knife to cut away some of the skin. Once the peppers have been skinned, they’re ready to be used immediately or stored in the freezer in an airtight container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 12 months.

Buying Hatch Chiles

Shop for hatch chiles in August and September to buy fresh chiles. Hatch chiles are only in season for 6 weeks out of the year, so those that are on the market in August and September are the freshest available. Look for chiles at farmer’s markets and produce stands or online when they’re in season. Buying your chiles at farmer’s markets or produce stands will allow you to not only support your local economy, but also to ensure you’re getting the freshest and greenest peppers. Some online suppliers of hatch chile peppers include Frieda’s, Bristol Farms, and Melissa’s World Variety Produce.

Buy chiles that are smooth, flat, and crisp. Smooth, flat chile peppers will roast more evenly than curled ones, resulting in a better finished product. Your peppers should have smooth skin, feel heavy for their size and maintain a consistent, symmetrical shape.

Aim to buy chiles with a bright green color. Green hatch chile peppers are the freshest and thus are the best to use for cooking. Look for fresh peppers at farmer’s markets and produce stands and look for the greenest peppers when you go to buy them. Look for chile peppers with an even color, as well. Peppers that are solid green and don’t have splashes of other colors on them are best. Avoid red hatch chile peppers, as these are not as fresh.

Attend a roasting festival if you live in the American Southwest. Roasting festivals for hatch chile peppers are held every year in the area around Hatch, New Mexico. Consider attending one of these festivals to see how experienced cooks roast their peppers and to find out more about how to buy the best chiles. You can find roasting festivals in multiple cities and towns in New Mexico, Arizona, and Texas. During the growing season, many stores in the southwest will also roast hatch chiles for your right outside of their buildings.