Fall Heat: Green Chiles

By Jonathan Berohn

Ah, Fall! Nothing says Fall like football, crisp mornings, brilliant foliage, and...green chiles. Yes, as most of you no doubt know, you can always go to the Mexican food aisle in your local grocery store and buy a can of something they call green chiles. And, yes, they are better than, say, Styrofoam for use in cooking, but they are certainly in the same family. If you really want a zip in your Mexican and Tex-Mex cooking, forget the cans and get some fresh green chiles.

Selecting the Right Chiles

If you've only ever heard of one chili, it's almost certainly the hatch chili from Hatch, New Mexico. Unfortunately, lately Hatch Chili doesn't have to mean it's grown in Hatch. Nowadays people truck chiles into Hatch, process them there, and market them as Hatch chiles to the unsuspecting. This means that the best way to pick a good green chili and to make sure you get the right one for your cooking is to taste it. The heat and flavor are far more important than the name. Any chili seller worth patronizing will let you taste the chiles before you buy them. If they won't, find someone else who will.

Preparation

If you're fortunate enough to have a chili roaster nearby, definitely buy your chiles there. While green chiles are good raw in some dishes, their true strength comes out when they are roasted. If you have to buy your chiles raw, you will have to roast them yourself. Don't worry - it's actually very simple. Put them under your broiler until the skin turns black and starts to bubble. Flip them over and repeat the process on the back side. Once you have blackened all your chiles (or bought them pre-roasted), you have to take the skins off. Again, this isn't particularly hard. First, drop all the chiles in a paper bag to let them steam for a bit (you can skip this step for pre-roasted chiles). Then simply peel off the blackened skin under running water. I also tear off the stems and scrape out the seeds at the same time. You can do all of this easily without a knife. Then you are ready to cut them up and cook.

Storage

You can store chiles in the fridge for a good week. I use either a zip-lock type bag or an air-tight plastic container. You can also buy a whole mess of chiles and freeze them to use throughout the year until fresh chiles are available again. Of course, fresh are always better, but in the depths of winter, a frozen green chili isn't a bad alternative - certainly better than canned.

Recipes Using Green Chiles

Buffalo Green Chile Chili

Ok, you'll have to excuse the name, but once you taste it I'm sure you will. The key here, of course is finding a good chili, but don't underestimate the beer. Using a cheap beer will come back to haunt you. Splurge for something dark and rich.

  • 2 large cans stewed tomatoes
  • 1 large can tomato puree
  • 2 large yellow onions, diced
  • 2 cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1.5 pounds ground buffalo (or beef if you must)
  • 1 bottle good dark beer 5 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 bay leaves
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
  • 1 Tbsp. paprika
  • 2 Tbsp. chile powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tsp-1Tbsp cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you want it)
  • 1 tsp-1Tbsp Tabasco or other hot sauce (again, depending on how hot you want it)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

In a large stockpot, saute the onions in olive oil over medium until they start to brown. Add the garlic and saute for 1 additional minute.

Add the buffalo or beef and cook until fully browned.

Add the beer, spices, tomatoes, and beans. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and let the chile slow-cook for at least an hour.

Serve with grated cheddar cheese, sour cream, and hot sauce (of course). I also like cornbread with it, but I can say that about anything. Serves 4 to 6 adults at least 2 meals.

Classic Green Chili

Here's the old standby when it comes to green chiles. Any Tex-Mex joint worth its salt will boast a good green chili. Here's how you can embarrass most of them.

  • 1.5 pounds boneless pork, diced (you can use anything here, although expensive lean cuts are overkill)
  • 2 large yellow onions, diced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp flour
  • 1/4 cup olive oil (plus additional for browning onions and pork)
  • 1 Tbsp. ground cumin
  • 1 Tbsp. ground coriander
  • 1 Tbsp. paprika Salt and pepper to taste

First brown the onions in olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Next add the pork and cook until well browned. Then remove everything from the pan and put it in a bowl.

Next you want to make a roux. Heat the oil over medium heat, then whisk in the flour 1 Tbsp at a time. Continue whisking until the roux is a medium brown.

Now add back the onion, garlic, and pork mixture. Add in all the spices and cilantro. Finally add in the chicken broth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook for an additional half hour. Serves 4 as a hearty stew. If you go that route, serve with limes, grated cheese, fresh cilantro, and tortillas. You can also use your green chili as a sauce for your favorite Mexican or Tex-Mex dish. I particularly like it on enchiladas.