It's Hatch Chile Time!
Do you have Hatch Fever like Frieda's Specialty Produce. Have you seen huge displays of these at Kroger stores or have you attented a hatch roasting event?
If you are a fan of peppers one look at the Hatch Chile and you may be thinking that "hey that pepper looks just like an Anaheim pepper". If a New Mexico resident is within ear shot they may soundly object to you saying such a blasphemous thing.
I am here today to clear up the differences between a Hatch Chile and an Anaheim pepper. For simplicity sake we are going to keep the chile versus pepper argument for another time and just called the Anaheim a pepper and the Hatch a chile.
What is the Difference Between Hatch Chiles and Anaheim Peppers?
So what is the difference. It all comes down to location, location, location.
Let's face the facts, a Hatch chile and Anaheim pepper started out the same. The seeds of the Hatch were brought to California and given the name Anaheim. This was done by a farmer with a farmer with a famous last name - Emilo Ortega (source). Yes, that Ortega. He transplanted a New Mexico chile in Anaheim, California.
While Hatch and Anaheim are basically one in the same, they don't' quite taste the same. Think about this: wine lovers celebrate wines from different regions, people debate whether Vermont or Wisconsin cheddar is better, and those that will only eat sweet Vidalia onions.
The Hatch chile is because of where they are grown - Mesilla Valley of New Mexico, where the town of Hatch is located. Hatch, NM experiences abudant sunshine, hot daytime temperatures with cool nights. This is due to the approximate 4000 foot elevation in the area, which allows for cooler temperatures at night during the growing season. For whatever reason this hot and cool trade off does wonder for the flavor of the chiles.
It's more than just the temperature in the air that effects the chile. The soil makeup is also different in Hatch then from California or Mexico where most of the grocery store Anaheim peppers come from.
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Can I Use an Anaheim Pepper In Place of a Hatch Chile?
Absolutely! The flavor may be different but the pepper will work just the same. Just like the ones from Hatch, Anaheims would benefit in flavor from roasting.
My Favorite Use for Hatch Chiles
No doubt about it - Creamed Corn. The heat of the pepper is so perfect along with the creaminess you get when kernel meets dairy. Take a moment and check out the recipe.
What is your favorite way to use Hatch chiles? Leave a comment below, we would love to hear from you.
Hatch-a-Mania
Over the last several years I have been seeing more and more products show up containing Hatch chiles. Below I want to share some of the most interesting ones. Any of these will help you enjoy Hatch chiles no matter what time of year it is.
Flame Roasted Hatch Green Chile in Jars
- Can't get your hands on some fresh Hatch chiles? You can buy them in glass jars flamed-roasted for your convenience. Comes in Hot, Medium, and Sweet & Mild.
Red New Mexico Hatch Chile Powder
- If you prefer your Hatch in powdered form, get his Red New Mexico Hatch Chile powder. Perfect for sprinkling on your chile or beans. Or use it as part of a spice rub for chicken.
Duke's Hatch Green Chile Smoked Sausages
- Duke's is one of my favorite smoked sausage makers. They make come up with some really flavorful combination. Hatch Green Chile is one of them. Perfect for having in your car on a long road trip or take with you on a good hike.
Chinook Seedery Hatch Green Chile Sunflower Seeds
- How about some sunflower seeds flavored with hatch green chiles. Chinook Seedery gives you such an option.
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Scott
I'm sorry but you have wrong information. It is the Anaheim that came from the Hatch chili. Seeds were brought from the Hatch valley of New Mexico to Anaheim by a farmer named Emilio in 1913. New Mexico Hatch came first most varieties came from the University there in New Mexico.
Eric Samuelson
I have not heard about this. Do you have more information I could check it out? Thanks for the information, I appreciate it.
Ann
Have you seen Hatch chile this year? I found a box or two in Ann Arbor last year, but that's it. I'm in West Bloomfield and drove all over looking for it.
Eric Samuelson
Yes. Whole Foods Market is carrying them. In fact I heard they are going to be going on sale for this weekend! Hope you can get some.
Kevin
Scott is correct, but while Anaheim and Hatch were from the same seeds, they are quite a bit different now. The hatch has thinner meat and thus, is more difficult to clean. A bushel of Anaheim's will provide almost twice the meat as a bushel of the Hatch. Flavors are very similar.
Best way to roast is a rotary basket. Once the chili's are done, a light spray of water, then straight into a plastic bag to let the skin steam loose. If you want to add a little extra flavor to the chili's, toss a bulb of garlic into the basket when roasting.
Eric Samuelson
Thanks for adding more to the conversation. I assume you then prefer the Anaheim over the Hatch?
Frank Herrera
My parents grew up on New Mexico. The Hatch reigns supreme in our home here in California. The Anaheim is just ok. It never is hot enough, however. My mom would roast the Anaheims and also some green and yellow jalapeno Chile peppers for some heat. This is very satisfactory as a substitute for lack of Hatch Chile's from their home state. Many of their friends migrated to California as well. And with so many friends going to and fro, we were able to get some Hatch through the years.
The local grocers(Albertson's only initially)caught on and stocked a few cases each season. It wasn't enough. Between all our family and friends, they were overwhelmed with orders. They stepped up and filled all our orders and each year, we call ahead to order... usually in August. We roast 2 cases in our household alone. Freezer bag it. We have enough year round. We love it. I call it my Mexican Spinach. ☺
Eric Samuelson
Thanks for sharing your story. I love how people are so passionate about Hatch or in some cases Anaheim. It's great to hear the debate. Keep the comments coming!
Marianne
http://www.ortega.com/history/
Phyl Baker
And now the Pueblo chile (Colorado) enters into the debate with Whole Foods stocking these in 2019. In Denver, I get Hatch by the bushel (about $20) from a street vendor who roasts them before bagging in a huge plastic bag. My car smells so great on the way home! Freeze the roasted chilis whole in a single layer on cookie sheets till hard then toss into freezer bags for storage. Wait to remove the smoky roasted peel, ribs and seeds when thawing the amount needed for your recipe. Hatch are hotter than Anaheim and some say Pueblos are hotter still. All are similar in size and appearance.
Watch out for Hatch variety called Dynomite....these are about 1" shorter and HOT.
Eric Samuelson
That smell is so good. I went to a farmer's market in Cheyenne once and you could smell it as you walked up to the market.
Thanks for sharing about the Pueblo chile.
Pueblo Chiles Rock
Thank you Phyl for tossing the Pueblo Chile name in to the conversation, I live in Pueblo and work with several of the Organic and Bio-dynamic farmers producing organic and pesticide/herbicide free Pueblo Chile, which are a distinct Chile variety called "Mosco Chiles" which were carefully improved through selective breeding over a number of years by Dr Mike Bartolo, formerly of the Colorado Extension Service. Mosco chilies are the descendants of the native "Mira-sol" chile found in this region of southern Colorado and down through Mexico. The Mira-sol Chile gets its name from the position the chilies grow in while on the plant, the chilies themselves grow pointed upwards towards the sun.. The Dried Red Chiles found in most Hispanic grocery sections are the Ripe Red Mira-sol chilies that have been dried whole, once ripe and dried they are known as Guajillo Chiles. And there is no debate as to which Chile is the superior Chile for roasting green chilies, Hands down, Pueblo is the better Roasted Green Chile,they are thinner skinned with thicker meat and dramatically more flavor ( and heat too)
Eric Samuelson
Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.