The Magic of New Mexico Red Chile Pods

Red chile pods are the fundamental part of the red part of our New Mexico state question, “Red or Green?” Sundried Hatch red chile pods are an amazingly flavorful addition to New Mexico cuisine. At Farmers Chile Market, located at 2010 Eubank Blvd NE in Albuquerque, we typically carry several varieties and sizes of red chile pods for sale during the chile season. We get new crop red chile pods as soon as they are ready in early October. This means you can be sure to get the frestest red chile possible by getting it from us. Keep us in mind when you are thinking about Hatch red chile pods for sale near you in 2024!

Why Choose Hatch Red Chile Pods

Although many people like to use red chile powder, chile pods are better for a few major reasons.

Benefits of Red Chile Pods vs Powder

First, they are exposed to less air because their surface area is much smaller than millions of granules of powder. This means that whole red chile pods will last longer and keep their flavor better than red chile powder. Red chile pods are also easy to store, particularly if you get them off of your chili ristra!

Second, the blending process is much more hands on, resulting in a higher quality dish overall. Blending results in a more even red chile sauce through aeration and emulsification. It has less of a propensity to separate than using a chile powder. Although red chile powder is great for adding a kick, it can leave a somewhat sandy residue at the bottom of your dish. No matter if you want to use red chile pods for an enchilada sauce, a base for posole, or carne adovada, they will taste great!

One final reason is that the seeds from red chile pods can often grow into fantastic chile plants, which can help bring the joy of New Mexico chile to you wherever you are. Check out our guide to growing New Mexico chile for more information about growing your own chile! Whether you prefer red or green chile, you can have both when you grow your own!

Varieties of New Mexico Chile Pods

The most common red chile pod variety is hot, with Sandia chile taking the crown. If you go into 100 New Mexican restaurants, odds are 70% of them are using a hot Sandia variety. It is the traditional hot in New Mexico for the last two or three generations. Sandia is also the most popular choice for tying ristras, so expect a hot chile if you decide to cook with your ristra!

Some people who like more heat will also get Extra-Hot, which is typically a Barker chile pepper. Barker red chile pods typically have about 25-30% more heat than Sandia pods.

For those who like super spicy chile pods, we also try to carry the XXX-hot Lumbre variety of dried red chile. This chile variety is not as common as hot or extra-hot varieties, so it often sells out quickly. If you see it available at our chile store located at 2010 Eubank Blvd NE, be sure to get it. We also sell plenty of fresh and dried superhot chilies, so pick up some of those if you really like the fire. Just one Carolina Reaper will turn an X-hot sauce into an XXXXX-hot sauce, so be careful with it.

Where Red Chile Pods Come From

We source our red chile pods out of Hatch, New Mexico. Although other areas such as Socorro, San Antonio, Lemitar, and Chimayo also grow green chile which matures into red chile pods, the farmers in these regions typically don’t produce enough to sell outside their farm stores. We frequently get fresh NM green chile shipments our of the Socorro Valley in San Antonio, NM, but our dried red chile products come out of Hatch, NM. Although we would like to sell Chimayo red chile pods and powder, we haven’t been able to find a supplier we trust. Our standards for what we sell are quite a bit higher than most chile vendors. We won’t sell chile without verifying its origin and visiting the farmers. I’ve personally visited every New Mexico farm we sell from.

The Farmers Chile Market Experience

Check out our page about 2024 roasted green chile in Albuquerque! We hope to be your favorite place in Albuquerque this year for both red and green chile, fresh, frozen, and dried! If you have questions, we are happy to answer, whether you are a beginner or New Mexico chile expert. We are also able to accommodate large groups including tour buses! If you are looking for red and green chile during the chile season along with a great experience suited for locals and tourists alike, you can find it at our chile stand. Red chile pods are just one small chile related thing we offer, and we hope to spread the joy of chile season to you! While here, we will give you plenty of recommendations for where else to go in Albuquerque too!