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Month: November 2021
Green Chile
As we are a chile market in New Mexico, green chile is our bread and butter. We’ve been roasting chile in Albuquerque since 1977, and selling it since 1962.
In New Mexico, green chile will be put into everything, even candy and drinks. Over the years, there have been many varieties of green chile grown in New Mexico. The most famous two, Sandia and Big Jim are often called for by name when people order their chile.
If you go to a New Mexican restaurant, you can be sure that everything come with an option: red or green. Most restaurants will also have at least one thing with green chile on it. Even McDonald’s sells green chile cheeseburgers.
We make a point to offer good quality chile. It is a lot more expensive than boxed chile sold in grocery stores, but it is definitely worth it. The chile we sell is bred for flavor, not just looks and mass production.
As green chile is a product which ripens as it ages, we change our growers farther north as the season progresses. This way, we can be sure to provide a distinctly green chile to contrast with the red chile we also sell in the later season. More than just that, New Mexican chile is a lot bigger than just Hatch.
Hatch, New Mexico has a great farming tradition. There are tons of farms there which grow a great variety of produce. There are some amazing chile growers there. Unfortunately, there are also plenty of growers who are only there for the name value. Terroir is important for many agricultural products, but the importance of good seeds and farming technique cannot be overstated.
New Mexico has a varied landscape, but there are many regions which are perfect for growing chile. Valleys such as Hatch, Socorro, and Chimayo are all well known for growing chile. If you find chile from these areas, it is likely as good or better than Hatch chile. In Albuquerque, we have been roasting chile for 47 years. We’ve roasted more chile than anyone in Albuquerque, and it’s not even close. Thank you Albuquerque for choosing us as your convenient place for roasted chile again in 2024!
During chile season, we roast chile in Albuquerque at 2010 Eubank NE every day from 9-5.
Lumbre, the hottest New Mexico chile
Lumbre chile is a relatively new New Mexico chile variety which is quite spicy. It was developed by Jimmy Lyttle, son of “Big Jim” Lyttle. Considering Big Jim is arguably the most famous New Mexico chile, that is some spicy heritage they have.
When compared to other chile peppers, New Mexico chile in general is not too spicy. The main reason it is so popular is for its flavor, size, and the thick, meaty texture. Spice is important, but there are far spicier chile varieties available. Even a jalapeno is more spicy than most New Mexico chile.
Lumbre is an exception to this rule. Lumbre chile is so spicy that it makes our eyes water when we bag it after roasting. In order to ensure quality, I need to sample chile when it comes in. Lumbre is a chile I dread tasting, even if I only break a piece off at the relatively mild tip. For reference regarding raw chile, only about 5% of the spice will be in the tip, where about half will be in the inch near the tip. After roasting, many of the cell walls are broken, juices flow, and the heat will be more balanced throughout the chile.
Regarding size, Lumbre is fairly large compared to most hot chile peppers, but quite small compared with most New Mexico chile varieties. It grows about 4-5 inches long, and has thinner walls than other varieties. It also curves more, and often has a hooked tip. The veins inside are pretty much all tinged shades of yellow, orange, and red. Altogether it is a quite beautiful chile.
Roasting Lumbre Chile
Despite being much smaller than other varieties, Lumbre actually roasts quite well. The peel is thin, and blisters quite easily. This means it can peel well before the chile starts to burn. If you want to get roasted lumbre chile in Albuquerque, we are open from August to the end of October every year at 2010 Eubank, Albuquerque, NM 87112.
Roasted Lumbre green chile 
The End of the 2021 New Mexico Chile Season
This season has been an interesting one to say the least. It started out incredibly slow. Part of the reason might be that other chile roasters started roasting in July, while we begin in August. The heat waves this year did contribute to an earlier chile season than normal. Regardless, we won’t sell chile that early, as immature chile doesn’t roast well, and doesn’t have the bountiful flavor which we come to expect from New Mexico chile. Waiting for quality is more important to us than being the first to sell chile.
The late summer months also brought with them monsoons, which definitely harmed a lot of crops. Chile was more insulated, as the plants grew so well early in the season, so were able to weather the rains better. Other crops, such as melons were greatly affected.
A change to seasonal business
Although we started as a produce market back in 1962, for the last 3 years, we have been a seasonal business based around the New Mexico chile season, opening in August and closing at the end of October. There are pros and cons to this business model. One positive is that it frees us up to work on other projects, such as developing this website.
A negative aspect is that it can be difficult to build momentum sometimes. It is difficult to judge how busy we will be and plan for it. When we ran Farmers Market year round, there was always a natural increase in business in the summer months, culminating in the chile season. When different fruits came into season, we would always become more and more busy, as customers would come in to get whatever they were looking for. We continue to sell various seasonal fruits, but don’t have the space to have as much variety.
Instead, we try to focus as much on quality local produce as possible. This year, we were able to sell local apples, cantaloupe, watermelons, onions, posole, and more. We have a lot more than just chile.
The 2021 New Mexico chile season
Going back to chile, overall it was a decent year for the crop. For some reason, it didn’t seem as hot this year as some years. The Big Jim chile variety seemed to be the most affected. It still had great flavor and size, but the Big Jim we received from both Hatch and San Antonio, New Mexico seemed to be fairly mild this year. That is just the way it goes sometimes. Agricultural products can vary immensely year by year. There is a reason why certain wine or tea vintages can be so expensive while others can be very cheap.
This year was also a year where many new chile varieties came on the market. The super hot Lumbre made a large leap forward this year, becoming much more available than in the past. In addition, plenty of farmers have been testing new varieties this year. The most famous recent chile varieties are definitely Lumbre and Ms Junie, but there are a lot more styles that we sampled this year. It takes us a while to settle on selling a new chile variety, as we want to be sure both the product and the farmer can produce a quality product consistently.
Looking forward to the 2022 chile season
We have a lot of plans to improve our chile stand for next year. There are several different major improvements we are working on, so keep us in mind when you think about where to get chile roasting in 2022. Increasing our variety of products we sell, as well as improving your customer experience is a priority. We care a lot about providing a great time while you are here, and will have a few new things to experience about New Mexico chile. We are the original chile roaster in Albuquerque, but we strive to be the best roaster in Albuquerque as well.
Going forward to 2024
We will start roasting this year on Friday August 2nd, 2024. Thanks for making us your favorite place to get chile roasting near you for 47 years! This 2024 Hatch chile season, we will work hard to be even better than before. Keep us in mind for the next 50 years too!
Jhett’s New Mexico Green Chile Recipe
As enthusiasts from around the world gather for the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, it’s the perfect time to celebrate with a local culinary favorite—the green chile sauce. Renowned for its unique flavor, roasted green chile holds a special place in New Mexican culture and has even spread its influence to places like Denver. Although you can make this recipe with frozen green chile, getting fresh roasted green chile during the chile season is ideal, as you can get exactly what heat level and flavor you are looking for.
Today’s recipe is mostly vegetarian and easy to make entirely plant-based by simply omitting or replacing the chicken bouillon powder. As a testament to green chile’s versatility, feel free to personalize the level of heat and other flavors to your liking.
Understanding Heat in Green Chile
Before we begin crafting our sauce, let’s discuss the spice factor. Green chiles come in a range from mild to extra hot. By blending different heat levels of chile or by adjusting the use of seeds, you can achieve your desired level of spiciness. Remember, seeds maintain their heat even after cooking.
For those handling hotter chiles, protective food preparation gloves are recommended. The capsaicin contained within can cause prolonged discomfort on your skin and can inadvertently spread, especially through frequent face touching. For gloveless preparation, regular handwashing with soap is imperative to avoid the potent sting of capsaicin. While unconventional, using vodka or olive oil could help in the removal process, soap and water remain the simplest and most hygienic solution.
Vegetarian Green Chile Sauce Recipe
With that guidance in hand, let’s get to the heart of our recipe.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb roasted green chile
- 1 medium onion
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 medium ripe tomato
- A strip or zest of lemon peel
- Low sodium soup stock (You can use Knorr brand bouillon for adjustability; both chicken and vegetable flavors are suitable)
- A small pinch of oregano
- A tiny touch of nutmeg and cinnamon
- Ground cumin (double the amount of coriander seeds used)
- A dash of paprika
- A couple of bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Method:
- Preheat your broiler. This is essential for peeling the tomato later.
- While the broiler heats, finely dice your onion.
- Place the tomato under the broiler until the skin begins to split, showing hints of brown or blackened spots—about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop the garlic—larger pieces to avoid burning, smaller for a stronger flavor—but watch carefully as it cooks.
- In a pan over medium heat with canola oil, season the onions with salt and pepper, cooking until translucent and just golden. Add the garlic and stir regularly to avoid charring.
- When the tomato is ready, set it aside to cool.
Time for Green Chile:
- Wearing gloves, remove the stem and peel from the chiles. Slice them open, scrape out the seeds, and chop into small pieces.
- Add the prepared chile to the pan with the onion.
- Turn your attention back to the peeled tomato. Dice it and add the flesh and any juices to the pan. Slice the remaining core to salvage all tomato pieces, discard only the very center stem, and add everything to your pot.
- Let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally. Insert the bay leaves and lemon peel at this stage, allowing the flavors to meld over roughly 20 minutes.
- Begin seasoning with cumin, coriander, nutmeg, cinnamon, and paprika—spices can always be added, but never removed, so season with caution, tasting as you go.
- Once satisfied with the seasoning, turn off the heat and let the sauce sit for 10 minutes.
- Finally, remove the bay leaves and lemon peel. The flavors should now be perfectly married.
The Final Touch:
When seeking green chile or other related items, consider visiting my family business Farmers Chile Market. And if you have a beloved green chile recipe or adaptation, please share! I’m eager to hear how others enjoy this versatile ingredient.
With your green chile sauce ready, it’s time to savor the rich, complex flavors that New Mexico has to offer, alongside the beauty of the Balloon Fiesta. Enjoy!
Be sure to check out our recipes section for more ideas on how to cook with New Mexico’s favorite food!
