Colorado Green Chili

Until we moved to Colorado seven years ago from New York City,  I never heard of New Mexico Hatch Chiles or Colorado Green Chile. When I enjoyed my first bowl of chili at a local restaurant I became almost obsessed with it. Every place we dined, if Colorado Green Chili was on the menu, I had to try it. There are many versions of the chili but the traditional chili usually contains a simple combination of pork and the smokey, thick-skinned, and spicy roasted Hatch Chile Pepper.  If you like chilis, it is irresistible!

Hatch Chiles are only grown in the Hatch Valley area of New Mexico and their flavor, texture, and hardiness are heavily dependent on their unique growing environment of valley soil, long hot days, and cool nights. The dryer the summer, the hotter the chile will become.  Outside of this part of New Mexico they are referred to as Anaheim peppers, but without the same flavor uniqueness.  The Hatch Chiles are usually harvested in late July to late August, and when I see them for sale in my local grocery store I always buy a few pounds and make chili. They are usually labeled and sold as mild, medium, and hot heat in taste. I usually buy the medium heat and try to pick the largest and thickest green chiles I can find, but sometimes I will add a red-colored one labeled "hot" to the mix.

Often Hatch Chile roasts will pop up locally here where the Hatch Chilies will be roasted in a circular drum that is rotated over a fire.  The skin blisters and can be easily peeled off. leaving the thick-skinned chile "meat" to be enjoyed.  Then they can be chopped if desired and de-seeded, or left whole, and frozen for use all year until the next year's harvest. The Youtube video above gives tips about how to choose the chiles and how to roast and store them.

The smell of the roasting peppers is so enticing!  You can roast them at home on your barbecue grill --the best way to get the added smokey taste, or you can roast them under an oven broiler. 

(If you can't find hatch chiles in your area you can substitute Anaheim peppers, Colorado Pueblo Mirasol peppers, or even Poblano peppers.  I have also seen Hatch Chiles for sale in a can, already peeled, de-seeded, and ready for use. Your chili will lack the signature fire-roasted Hatch Chile taste, but will still be good.)

Colorado Green Chili

Serves 6

Ingredients:

3 pounds boneless pork butt roast, trimmed and cut into 1inch pieces
salt
2 pounds (10-12) Hatch Green Chiles roasted and skin removed--cut into 1inch pieces--stems and seeds removed.
1 (14.5-ounce) can of diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped fine
8 garlic cloves. minced
1 tablespoon good quality ground cumin
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups chicken broth

Optional: seasoning with cayenne pepper, Mexican oregano, and or cilantro, and a squeeze of a lime wedge.

Instructions:

1) Roast the Hatch Chiles on a hot barbecue or in a hot oven broiler, turning frequently to make sure all sides become charred--do not overcook.  Remove the pepper from heat when charred and place in a large bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let cool for about 5 minutes. It is helpful to wear rubber gloves to prevent the chile Capsian heat get on your skin and irritate it.  Peel off as much of the skin as possible from each chile, cut off the stem, slice open the chile and remove the seeds.  Then cut the peppers into 1inch pieces, place in a bowl, and set aside. The chiles can be roasted and refrigerated up to 24 hours in advance.

2) Combine pork, 1/2 cup water, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a dutch oven over medium heat.  Cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until liquid evaporates and pork browns in its own fat about 15 to 20 minutes.  Transfer pork to a bowl and set aside.

3)  Heat your oven to 350 degrees F. 

Place the tomatoes in a food processor and pulse until coarsely ground--about 4 pulses, and pour into a bowl.  Process about half of the Hatch Chile Peppers in the food processor until smooth--about ten seconds. Pour into the processed tomatoes. Reserve the other half of the chopped peppers on the side.

4) Heat oil in the now-empty Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onions and cook until lightly browned about 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and cook for one minute. Stir in the broth, the processed Hatch Chile Peppers and tomatoes, pork, and all accumulated juices. and bring it all to a simmer.  Reserve the rest of the chopped Hatch Chiles.

Cover the pot, transfer to the lower oven rack, and cook until the pork is tender. 1 to 1 1/2 hours.  Remove from the oven and add the rest of the chopped hatch chiles and stir well. Taste and add salt and cayenne powder to taste if you wish for a hotter flavor.

Serve with lime wedges, and top with sour cream, sliced avocadoes, or a sprinkle of cilantro or Mexican oregano on top. This time when I made the chili I added a can of white corn hominy to it in the last half hour of cooking in the oven. Make it your own with any combinations you prefer.  We dipped a wheat tortilla in ours and ate it in bites along with the chili.  It is so flavorful and delicious!  A true harvest season treat that we look forward to the most when fresh chiles are in season, and enjoyed all winter with Hatch Chile Peppers we roast and freeze for later use.

What is new around here:

I thank you for all the positive comments I received on my last post about not feeding the deer.  Wildlife needs to remain wild to survive long term. We are the kindest when we leave them alone to manage their own survival. 

The wildfires are still burning in Colorado with little containment. We are keeping the firefighters here and in California in our prayers. I am also hoping the two hurricanes coming up from the Gulf of Mexico will lose power and not impact any states.  

My grandchildren begin remote learning on Monday for two weeks and then will hopefully be able to switch to in-school learning as their parents have chosen.  I have a feeling it will be a roller coaster of a school year, but we are hoping for the best! 

Stay happy, safe, and healthy!

You can also find me on

Instagram Twitter Facebook 

Pinterest