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Roadside stands and seasonal markets are bursting with bushels, baskets, and burlap bags of green chiles that have spent months simmering with Scovilles under the Southwestern sun. But if you don’t know your Big Jim from your Mosco, you could come home with little more than bell peppers.
Here’s how to shop for green chiles like a pro.
1. Look for vendors displaying farm names and growing regions. If you want bona fide Colorado growers, Millberger, Musso, and DiSanti farms are among the longtime members of the Pueblo Chile Growers Association. For New Mexico chiles, the word is Hatch—a protected chile-growing region in the southern part of the state.
2. Skip the places hawking unmarked chiles from plastic laundry baskets in favor of stands selling mesh bags labeled as full bushels. But buying by weight is best; a bushel should run 20 to 22 pounds and cost $35 to $50. A daytrip to the Pueblo Chile & Frijoles Festival (September 18 to 20) puts you face-to-face with farmers who won’t sell you short.
3. Seek out the right variety for your palate. Medium (Big Jim, Mosco), hot (Sandia), and extra-hot (Barker, Dynamite) varieties should be plentiful throughout August and September. Pueblo chiles generally have thicker walls—great for long simmering—and Hatch have a reputation for more complex flavor. Not sure? Ask for a taste.
4. Don’t bring your chiles home raw: Roasting softens them, adds flavor, and makes them easier to peel and seed. On-site roasting is typically included, though tips are appreciated. At home, peeling, seeding, and bagging (wear gloves!) a bushel will yield about 12 to 13 pounds. Freeze most, but chop and pan-sizzle a few to make green chile cheeseburgers.
5. What to do with all that roasty, spicy goodness? For green chile stew reminiscent of a shady patio in Santa Fe (with a margarita, of course), the online-only Hatch Chile Store has a great recipe. For a Denver-style concoction à la the Mile High City’s most venerated cantinas, visit the Frugal Hausfrau’s cooking blog.
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