Cooking Class: How to Grill Hatch Chiles on the Outdoor Grill

by Dorothy Reinhold on September 27, 2014


Print This Post Print This Post How to Grill Hatch Chiles on the Outdoor Grill | ShockinglyDelicious.com

Today’s weekend mission, should you accept (and you SHOULD!), is to get to the market and get the last of the Hatch chiles.

These prized green chiles from New Mexico are a summer romance that heats up in August and is snuffed out by the end of September, when they disappear again until next August. So go grab the last of them today and let’s grill-roast them so we have them to brighten our meals in deepest, darkest, winter.

We learned how to roast them inside the kitchen using the stovetop, which is a fine technique. But today we’re heading outdoors, for an al fresco grilling, thanks to my friends at Frieda’s Produce who sent a box of chiles over.

How to grill Hatch chiles outside

How to Grill Hatch Chiles on the Outdoor Grill | ShockinglyDelicious.comTurn the grill on to a medium flame. Remove the rack from the grill and place the whole chiles right on the burner areas.

How to Grill Hatch Chiles on the Outdoor Grill | ShockinglyDelicious.comStand there while the chile skin begins to blister and pop, and the outside begins to char. Turn each chile as often as needed to blacken it evenly. (Don’t let them catch fire.) The goal is to get them blackened all over.

How to Grill Hatch Chiles on the Outdoor Grill | ShockinglyDelicious.comAs each chile looks black-done, remove from grill and place immediately into a big plastic bag, closing the bag after each addition. (I forgot to take a photo of this step!). Allow chiles to steam in the bag.

How to Grill Hatch Chiles on the Outdoor Grill | ShockinglyDelicious.comTake a rest and read a book on the deck while you wait for them to cool down to room temperature in the bag (about 30 minutes).

How to Grill Hatch Chiles on the Outdoor Grill | ShockinglyDelicious.comPlace them on a flat sheet in the freezer, to freeze individually. When chiles are frozen, they will look like charred rigid planks. Place these frozen chiles into a freezer-safe zip-top bag for storage in the freezer. You freeze them on a sheet like this so they don’t clump up and stick together as a frozen lump.

To use: When you are ready to use the chiles, you may take them out one at a time for use. Simply run the frozen chile under a light stream of water, which will thaw it, and then…

  • gently peel off the charred skin
  • cut off the stem
  • using a finger, scoop out and discard the seeds, which will largely be collected near the stem-top of the chile
  • you’re ready to use the chile, either chopped, torn into long strips, or left whole

How easy was that?

Hint: This technique works with bell peppers, as well, which are also abundant in the store right now for late summer-early fall.

Enjoy your Hatch!

If you’d like to know what to do with your frozen Hatch, I have several recipe collections for you to peruse

Or put the word “Hatch” in the search box in the top left corner of this site, and you’ll pull up all sorts of delicious recipes!

Disclosure: Frieda’s Produce sent a case of Hatch chiles for grilling.

{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }

Heather // girlichef September 28, 2014 at 7:50 am

I would just plant myself nearby and bask in the glorious smell!

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Dorothy Reinhold September 28, 2014 at 3:54 pm

I am with you, Heather. The smell of Hatch roasting on the grill is just an eyes-closed wonder!

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