Summer is on and we are heading right into the thick of it! Independence day is almost here and we have all things picnic and BBQ on our mind. So on that note we are embarking on a theme for July of perfect picnic and bbq foods. Today we begin with some amazing and easy fire roasted green chilies!
Green chili season is just about here for those of us who grew up in the southwest and remember the middle of summer being the time when Hatch green chilies would be abundant and being fresh roasted at the farmer's market, at the swap meet and just about anywhere else you can think of!
I lived in Northern Arizona for a long, long time and July was always when the fire roasters would show up at the Flagstaff Farmer's Market. Giant mesh drums set over open flames. The drums were filled with Hatch green chilies fresh out of New Mexico fields. The smell is intoxicating and the sheer volume has you pick up on that delicious fragrance from a mile away, quite literally.
The deep green peppers would go into that drum by the barrel full and the roasting man would turn that drum until those peppers were soft, black and blistered, That is the time when you would request the amount you would like. He would put them in a paper sack and away you would go. Ready to create something wonderful.
The drive home would be difficult because the smell of those chilies is amazing and you want to just dig right in! You can't get home fast enough to slap one on a freshly grilled burger with melted pepper jack cheese on top!
Enough reminiscing though! You don't have to live in New Mexico or Arizona to enjoy fire roasted green chilies at home! Keep in mind that Hatch green chilies will be available soon in the stores and I can even get them in my area so if you find them buy a case and make your own salsa because it will be amazing! But you can do this with Anaheim chilies with no problem.
Get your grill good and hot. No matter if it is charcoal or gas. Just get it nice and hot. Then pop those peppers right on that grill. When you hear them start popping and crackling you will know that the magic is beginning to happen! You want to keep turning and turning and turning until the skin is black and blistered all around the pepper and they become soft and no longer have a stiffness to them.
When you have removed the peppers from the grill you want to put them into a large bowl. Then back into the kitchen! Fill the bowl up with cold water and begin to gently rub the charred skin off the peppers. It should come off quite easily. The gently pull the stem off and run your finger down the side to split the pepper open. Dunk it back in the water and wash the seeds away the best you can. Then into an awaiting plate or bowl.
You can use these peppers to make pork green chili, chicken salsa verde, green chili sauce, chunky roasted green chili and onion salsa, or green chili burgers. You will want to use these in about a week and if you can't just pop them in the freezer until you are ready to use them.
It is not recommended to can these on their own, however you could use them in a recipe calling for green chilies if you are canning up some salsa or other dish. You will want to research that on your own.
I hope you see how easy it is to fire roast your own green chilies at home. I hope you give this a try and I hope you love it because there really is nothing better than a fresh fire roasted chili on your burger!
Happy Eating!!
You can see how I did this in my YouTube Video:
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