Tag: roasting

  • Hatch Chile Roasting Near you in 2025

    Hatch Chile Roasting Near you in 2025

    If you are looking for roasted Hatch chile near you this year, you’ve come to the right place! Hatch chile roasting is an incredibly important part of New Mexican culture. This delicacy has spread to surrounding states and even further as New Mexico’s delicious food touches the hearts of more and more people. If you are here, you have probably asked where to get roasted Hatch chile this year. Read on to find out!

    Where to get roasted green chile in 2025?

    We roast chile at 2010 Eubank Blvd NE Albuquerque, NM 87112. When it comes to roasted Hatch green chile in Albuquerque, the original is always worth checking out. We’ve been roasting chile since 1977, before anyone else in the city. Most other roasters were just kids or not born born yet back then. We roast chile every day from 9-5 during the months of August, September, and October, the whole chile season. Our first day of roasting will be Friday, August 1st this year! Keep us in mind when you search for “Chile roasting near me 2025” We will continue to stay open selling chile products until Christmas, even after the chile roasting season is over!

    The great terroir of New Mexico chile

    Every chile season, New Mexicans always consider where to get their Hatch chile roasted. Many people here prefer chile from other areas, such as Lemitar, San Antonio, or Chimayo. In the early chile season, we always start our green chile roasting with Hatch chile. Simply put, it is ready faster because Hatch is farther south and warmer. As the plants get older however, the chile they produce becomes smaller and doesn’t roast as well. In this case, it is best to let the chile turn red and mature. The red chile pods they turn into make a delicious sauce, and is one answer to our state question, “Red or Green?” P.S. Christmas is always an acceptable answer if you are feeling indecisive!

    A bunch of xxx-hot Lumbre Hatch chiles at Farmers Chile Market in Albuqueruque

    Because the Hatch season is earlier, we change over to our farmers farther north later in the season in order to get the best quality chile available at the time. If the month is August, our green chile is almost certainly Hatch green chile. If it is around September or later, our green chile will likely be from Snake Ranch or another farm in the Socorro Valley area near Lemitar. There are many places here growing fantastic New Mexico chile. Due to our long history of roasting chile in New Mexico, we have vetted just about everyone, and only source from the best growers.

    The Farmers Chile Market Difference

    Regardless of whether you are looking for Hatch chile, Lemitar chile, or somewhere else, we are confident that our chile quality is just as good, if not better. Our farmers use seeds bred primarily for flavor rather than yield per acre as a lot of “Hatch chile farms” use. Our chile is better than what you get in giant grocery stores, we guarantee it! If you want good quality roasted green or red chile, you can be sure to get it here. We pride ourselves on being a great chile roaster in Albuquerque.

    We are more than willing to accommodate special requests for roasting. Do you want us to roast it a little longer for a more smoky flavor? Let us know! Want to throw some garlic and onion into the roaster for a more aromatic roast? We can do it! We will roast your xxx-hot sack with some fresh ghost peppers to kick up the heat level. I’ll even take your picture if it’s not too busy, just ask! At Farmers Chile Market, we will do our best to ensure you leave happy with your perfect sack of chile!

    Your Spot for Roasted Green Chile

    If you are asking yourself where to get chile roasting near me in 2025, You can find your solution in the Northeast Heights at 2010 Eubank Blvd NE. In the early season, we start roasting green medium and hot varieties. Later on, we also carry mild, extra hot, and even xxx-hot Lumbre chile! We will also have plenty of red chile ristras, other chile products, and local produce available.

    We roast red chile too!

    Don’t think of us as a one trick pony that only sells green chile. Once September rolls around, we have all varieties of green chile and also carry fresh red chile to roast as well. This is much more difficult to find than green chile, and most roasters don’t carry much in the way of fresh red. Whether you want a full sack, a half sack, or an even smaller amount than that, you can get it at Farmers Chile Market during September and October! Of course, we also carry dried red chile pods, which is the most common way that people buy their red chile.

    Hatch Chile Season 2025

    Although it is still somewhat early to tell, the snow and rain we have been seeing over the winter is definitely a good sign. Although there are other factors than just water involved in growing and harvesting green and red New Mexico chile, water availability has been something which has been limiting the amount of farms able to grow. When we get a good snowpack, this means water will be less of a troubling issue. Hopefully winters like these become normal, as water concerns have become somewhat severe in recent years.

    Is there a green chile shortage?

    Regardless of the bleak picture many media outlets love to paint, green and red New Mexico chile will always be available, even if the price rises due to various reasons, such as labor, water, fertilizer, or even age of farmers. Green chile production in Hatch, and most other areas of New Mexico is becoming smaller and smaller, but it will still be available. We at Farmers Chile Market are committed to finding good chile, no matter what happens in the future. You can believe that we will always support local farmers and try to keep the great red and green chile tradition of New Mexico alive.

    What Varieties of Chile we Roast

    These are all different chile varieties! Hotter chile typically curves more

    We roast many different varieties of Hatch chile, including Numex 6-4, Big Jim, Sandia, Miss Junie, Barker, and even Lumbre chile. More than just that, we often also carry fresh red chile once it is ready too. In terms of heat levels, this means we sell and roast chile which is very mild, medium, hot, extra hot, and all the way up to xxx-hot. We have even have people special order fresh superhots like ghost peppers to roast alongside with other chile. If we roast it, you can be sure it is local New Mexican chile, though we also have a wide range of other chili peppers as well!

    Other types of chilies we sell

    If you are looking for the hottest of the hot, we try to carry a wide assortment of both fresh and dried superhot chile peppers during the chile season. We typically always have plenty of Carolina Reapers, Ghost Peppers, 7 Pots, Scotch Bonnets and even Aji Charapita, the world’s most expensive chili pepper! This year, we will also try to carry Pepper X, the new hottest chile pepper in the world. This isn’t a guarantee yet however, as the seeds are still hard to come by.

    various super hot chile peppers including carolina reapers and 7 pot

    We have Mexican chile too!

    We also carry a good assortment of chile from Mexico, such as Ancho, Chipotle, Guajillo, and more. In the future, I will prepare different recipes using these peppers. I love to cook and write, but often I become quite busy managing my chile roasting operation, and that must come first. Because of this, it may take me a year or two to come up with these recipes using various chile peppers. For now, here is a recipe overview for a New Mexican classic, stacked red chile enchiladas. In case you are a foodie, I have spent a decent amount of time between the end of the 2024 chile season and the start of the 2025 chile season beefing up our recipes section! Be sure to check it out if you want some more ideas about how to cook with Hatch chile.

    Looking Forward to the 2025 NM chile season

    The chile season is always different, but the same. During the months of August, September, and October, I work every day of the week, trying to not only provide the best customer service I can, but also find the best chile at the best time. The season changes drastically from the early season, where only a small amount of green chile varieties available. Two weeks later, we have plenty of extra hot and xxx hot chile, with more and more mature reddish chiles showing up in the burlap sacks.

    Once September comes, red chile comes right after. Once red chile is available, red chile ristras show up days later. Tying chile ristras is a great way for farming families to make more money. It is also a good way for older family members to make some money without working the fields. With red chile coming, it also means the season is approaching the finish line. The weather starts getting colder, and plants have less energy to keep making new green chile. More and more farmers stop picking, and leave the red chile to dry on the plant, to be harvested once dry.

    Visit Albuquerque’s Original Chile Roaster

    We hope to be your choice when you search for chile roasting near me 2025 this year. If you are living in Albuquerque, or just passing through for the Balloon Fiesta or something else, we would love to see you at Farmers Chile Market at 2010 Eubank Blvd Albuquerque, NM 87112 this chile season!

    For people traveling in Albuquerque and New Mexico, be sure to check out our travel section for ideas. We have plenty of information about different road trip ideas, including Route-66, I-25, Santa Fe, Las Cruces, Hatch, and more!

    Chile Ristras for sale in Albuquerque

    Hatch red chile ristras in front of original farmers market Albuquerque sign

    We will also have tons of ristras for sale at 2010 Eubank Blvd NE, 87112. Typically they show up right around Labor Day, coinciding with the Hatch Chile Festival! Our selection of ristras

    Once ristras come in, fresh red chile follows closely behind it. Be sure to come stop by and get your roasted red chile fix in the months of September and October. Because of its high sugar content, we won’t be shipping fresh red chile. It often attracts flies and goes bad much faster than green chile as a result. New crop red chile pods come in around October typically. These pods are the core ingredient in making the red part of New Mexico’s favorite cuisine, a red chile sauce. After red chile pods become available, some of the large chile producers in Hatch also begin to prepare fresh red chile powder, which is one of my favorite ingredients to make different New Mexican fusion foods!

    Roasting Hatch red chile
    Hatch red chile roasting in Albuquerque

    More info about New Mexico Chile

    Check out our guide to roasting chile at home.

    In case you will be roasting chile professionally in 2025, read roasting with a barrel roaster. This guide explains our technique of roasting chile. It has been tuned over 45 years, and I believe it is the best way to roast with a chile roaster.

    Check here if you are curious about different varieties of chile. In case you are a real chilehead, you will no doubt be interested in attending the world famous Hatch Chile Festival. Be sure to read all about it before you go!

    Also, feel free to read through our blog if you want to learn other things about New Mexico Chile. In case you are interested in the history and culture of New Mexico chile, be sure to read our blog post The New Mexican Chile Tradition. We add new content regularly, and will feature recipes along with other knowledge and opinions as the chile industry changes. It is a very different game than it used to be, with many new varieties available. We hope you enjoyed reading our blog, and hope to see you when you are looking for roasted green chile in 2025!

    Red and green New Mexico chile roasting in Albuquerque
    A nice Autumn roast

    Can’t make it to Albuquerque?

    We also have a broad selection of Hatch chile products available on our online shop! Take the knowledge you learned in our guide to roasting chile and roast up some delightful chile for yourself. The chile we sell is more flavorful than chile you can get in grocery stores. A big reason why is that it isn’t graded by federal produce standards. In New Mexico, we don’t really care so much if chile is curved, but the Feds and grocery conglomerates do. If we want a chile relleno, we pick out a straight chile. curvy stuff is still great for chopping up and putting on a burger, in a taco, or even some mac & cheese! The tastiest varieties of chile are usually not very straight! That being said, some varieties such as Big Jim have a propensity to be big, straight, and meaty!

    Buy chile online!

    Whether you are looking for fresh green chile, frozen roasted chile, dried roasted chile, dried red chile pods, a chile ristra, new crop Estancia pinto beans, or something else, we probably have it available in our chile store. Although New Mexico is a great travel location, we will be here waiting for you next year too! In case you need your heat fix sooner than you can visit, you can scratch your chile itch by buying online! Even if you can’t find chile roasting near you in 2025, you can get fresh chile and roast it yourself. Happy roasting this 2025 chile season!

    Green chile roaster roasting Hatch chile in Albuquerque
    Hatch Green Chile roasting in Albuquerque
  • 2022 Hatch chile season

    2022 Hatch chile season

    It’s July now, and that means green chile is almost ready! Although some farmers have already started harvesting chile, we believe it isn’t up to our standards yet. We will start roasting on August 4th, 2022 starting with Medium and Hot varieties, and more to come later as more chile matures. In case you are on this page in 2024, we will start roasting on Friday August 2nd 2024!

    If you can’t wait and need chile now, here is a guide to make sure you get the best chile possible, wherever you buy!

    No matter where you are, the chile season is a great time to get some spicy chile peppers from the chile capital of the world, New Mexico. The season starts with a few varieties of chile which range in a medium to hot heat level. Mild is not grown in large quantities, so it generally will be available later as a result. The hotter the chile is, the more difficult it is to grow to a level where it roasts well, so extra hot and lumbre chile usually arrives two or three weeks after our first shipment. More than just that, green chile is only one side of the flavor experience you can get during the New Mexico chile season. Green chile ripens to red chile as the season progresses, and lets people have access not only to Autumn roast chile, but also fresh red chile.

    Red chile

    We will start getting fresh red chile in the month of September. We can roast it for those who like the sweet roasted flavor of fresh red chile. It is also great for tying your own chile ristra, and we will be glad to teach you how to do it.

    As always, we will have a great variety, including special shape pequin ristras and muti-colored ristras, in addition to the traditional sandia red chile ristras. You can be sure that our prices will be competitive with any seller in Albuquerque and definitely better priced than any other chile stores in the northeast heights.

    Our 45th chile roasting season

    Although we have been selling Hatch chile since the early 1960s, we started roasting chile in 1977. That means this year marks our 45th year roasting chile in Albuquerque. Thank you for continuing to make Farmers Chile Market your choice for the 2022 New Mexico chile season. Follow us on Facebook if you want more information or up to date information on our chile roasting operation this year.

  • Lumbre, the hottest New Mexico chile

    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
    Roasted Lumbre green chile
  • Chile Roasting in Albuquerque

    Chile Roasting in Albuquerque

    Where to get chile roasted in Albuquerque

    If you are looking to get some green chile roasted in Albuquerque, there is only one place that has been doing it since 1977. Farmers Chile Market, located at 2010 Eubank Blvd NE, or just Farmers Market back then, started the Albuquerque chile roasting tradition when the owner Jhett was just 19 years old. That means as of this 2024 chile season we have been roasting green chile for 47 years. Altogether, we have over 100 years of experience roasting chile in New Mexico!

    Since then, roasted chile has overtaken the city, and it seems like you can find chile roasters on most major street corners these days. In New Mexico, whether you spell it chile or chili, it isn’t hard to find roasting. Even large grocery chains set up roasters, but generally the chile and roast quality is not as good. Just like most other industries, the more local it is, the better. As a business started in 1962, we are as local as it gets for Albuquerque. We’ve been roasting Hatch chile since before it was world famous, and probably helped many people discover what really makes New Mexico the Land of Enchantment. Something we do that most places don’t, is we also roast fresh red chile too! Whether you want roasted green chile, red chile, or both, we can do it for you!

    A New Mexico Tradition

    The fact is, green and red chile are part of the fabric which makes up Albuquerque. Whether you want to roast it yourself in the oven, or have us roast it on our barrel roasters, chile roasting is a staple of life in Albuquerque. There is a reason we always ask the question “green or red?” when it comes to our favorite spicy food. Chile, both green and red are fundamental to every kitchen. If you don’t like spice, we have mild, and if you love spice, we have super hot kinds of chile like Lumbre. Every New Mexican is able to find a perfect chile for them.

    Often, chile roasters become almost like a town hall, with many people coming together and discussing chile, life, and making new friendships as they watch their chile being roasted. It is one of the things that really unites New Mexicans. Everyone has the experience of getting fresh roasted chile, whether they buy it themselves or get some from their friends and family.

    If you are looking for chile roasting in Albuquerque, you can find us from August to the end of October at 2010 Eubank Blvd NE Albuquerque, New Mexico 87112. If you have any questions about flavors or varieties of chile, or other local produce which we carry, you can call 505-362-3058 or message our facebook page. More than just fresh roasted chile, we also have plenty of other chile products, such as chile ristras to choose from. More than just that, we carry plenty of local produce when it is in season. Because local produce arrives only one day after harvest, it allows our farmers to let the fruits vine ripen longer than the massive agricultural operations in other states are able to.

    A commitment to quality roasted chile

    We aim to please, and always offer the highest quality chile we can find. There is a reason our chile is priced higher than major grocery stores. It costs more to grow and handle. Chile for us isn’t some afterthought loss leader. We are chile specialists, and sell specialty chile products.

    We care a lot about your satisfaction. If you have any requests, we will try to accommodate them. You are always welcome to sample the chile we sell before you buy, and can mix flavors if you want a spice level that better suits you. We can even roast garlic or onions with your chile, which takes the fragrance up a notch. When it comes to delicious spicy food, New Mexico chile is a wonderful ingredient. Why not prepare it exactly how you want it?

    So next time you are wondering “where to get chile roasting near me,” just remember Farmers Chile Market at 2010 Eubank Blvd NE in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

    If you are interested in unique ways to prepare green chile, try fermenting it.

    Green chile roaster
    Hatch Green Chile roasting in Abluquerque

    Albuquerque’s Original Chile Roaster

    As the original chile roaster in Albuquerque, we have a duty to uphold our long tradition of serving up quality local produce at a good price. When we were known just as Farmers Market, we were the best value grocery store in Albuquerque for decades. People knew us as the place where “A Fast Nickel Beats a Slow Dime.” Although that phrase has lost its meaning over time due to inflation, we still strive to provide a great value for our customers. We are not some simple souvenir shop like some chile businesses around Albuquerque who charge tourists ways more than they ought to for chile products. We are not the cheapest around, but if that is what you want, Wal Mart and other grocery conglomerates have plenty of inferior chile for cheap. What we offer is excellent chile products and high quality local produce at good prices. We hope that you can see for yourself this 2024 chile season at Farmers Chile Market, Albuquerque’s Original Chile Roaster.

    If you want more information about New Mexico chile products, you can be sure to find it on our blog. Read more about the history and culture of NM chile. Our blog has a lot of content, and will have more regularly throughout the chile season. We even have a decent FAQ in case you have any questions about chile ristras. As you can see, Farmers Chile Market has a lot of information about New Mexico chile products. We know so many different local farmers and work very hard to have the best knowledge about different local produce every single season. All of this work is to ensure we provide our customers with the best possible product at the best value we can. The original brick and mortar Farmers Market is gone, but our philosophy continues on for over 60 years. Nickels and Dimes aren’t worth much anymore in 2024, but we will still do our best to give you the best value New Mexican produce in Albuquerque.

    Roasted Lumbre green chile
    Roasted Lumbre green chile

    Remember us for chile ristras in Albuquerque too

    Beautiful muticolored hatch chile ristras

    Find us in the Northeast Heights, north of I-40 in Albuquerque

    How to cook with Hatch Chile

    Be sure to check out our recipes section for ideas on what to cook with New Mexico’s favorite food!

  • How to roast Hatch green chile

    How to roast Hatch green chile

    This page is now obsolete, and has been combined with the post How to Roast Hatch Chile to cover both roasting at home and also roasting as a professional! Please view that guide as it is much more detailed than this one!

    To begin with, we need to analyze what we want from the roast. In general, the purpose of roasting is mainly to peel the chile, with a smaller emphasis put on giving it a smoky flavor profile.

    In order to peel a chile, it has to have a point where it peels FROM. That means you need a lot of direct heat on the chile to blister it. These blisters are fracture points of the peel, and where you can start to pull it off.

    So, step 1 is high heat, as hot as you can. This would be your oven’s broiler, a bbq grill, or a blowtorch. Or you can be like me and have a few barrel roasters lying around.

    You want to keep it on that high source of heat for about 3-4 minutes, but watch carefully. If you heat the chile for too long, it will burn, and the peel will stick back onto the fruit. Blackening is good, and if up to half of a side of chile blackens, it is still ok. More than that and you will risk burning.

    Flip it over, and do the same to the other side. Some chiles have more than 2 sides, just turn it over again. Once you blacken all the sides, you can peel it under a running tap. You can also give it a dump in cold water to help loosen the peel also. The rapid change in temperature can help separate the peel even more.

    I hope you enjoy roasting your New Mexico green chile. If you want to skip the work of roasting, we roast chile every day in Albuquerque during chile season. You can find us at 2010 Eubank Blvd NE, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87112. Part 2 will be a guide to roasting with a barrel roaster.

    In case you are just looking to buy roasted chile, we will begin roasting on Friday August 2nd, 2024 for our 47th chile roasting season!