Green Chile Cheeseburgers

Hatch, New Mexico grows red and green chili peppers, known as Hatch chiles. Hatch chiles are purchased locally in many parts of the Southwest, but distribution outside of the region is limited. This has led to direct marketing by small local farms online. We purchased a few from our grocery store to see what the excitement is all about!

Green Hatch Chile

Roasted Chile

Green Chili Cheeseburger

1. Prepare chiles: Clean chiles and dry thoroughly.

2. Prepare heat: Get the heat source ready. Pre-heat grill.

3.   Char chiles: Place cleaned chiles on grill and turn every minute or so until the skin is blackened. The entire chile will not be completely black, but it should be charred about 60%. It should take 5 to 10 minutes.

4. Remove from heat: Carefully remove the charred chiles from the grill using metal tongs.

5. Sweat chiles: Carefully place the chiles into a baking dish or bowl and seal it with plastic wrap. This will steam the chiles to continue the cooking and make the skins easier to remove. Let the chiles sweat for 10-15 minutes.

6. Remove skins: Remove the chiles from the bag one at a time. As you remove them, rub the chiles to remove the skins. Do not run the chiles under water otherwise you'll wash away the flavorful oils.

7. Eat chiles: Removing the seeds is optional. You can just use your fingers by running two fingers down the chile, scraping them out. We enjoyed ours on burgers with Monterey Jack (and a side of mixed greens with mango, tomatoes, green onions, and lime). No seasoning needed. Smoky sweet with a hint of heat!