The Hatch chile is a is a perennial chile pepper grown primarily as an annual. Hatch chiles are of the species, Capsicum annuum, a species of peppers native to South America. Hatch chilies refer to the five or six main cultivated varieties of New Mexico chiles. The most common is the NuMex 6-4 Heritage, bred for its superior flavor, heat level and size. It was originally developed at New Mexico State University. Other Hatch cultivars include Barker, Big Jim, and R-Naky. All Capsicum annuum cultivars are green when unripe and will eventually become red, some varieties turning brown and near black when reaching full maturity. The Hatch chile is harvested green for use as a fresh market chile and it is also used for canning and in dried form as paprika.

Green Hatch chiles are distinguished by the richness and depth of flavor they achieve when they are fire roasted. Green Hatch chiles are elongated, curvacious and come to a blunt point. Their skin is semi thick, smooth, glossy and deep lime green in color. Inside the pod is a thin white membrane with trace amount of seeds. Hatch chiles are generally never eaten fresh, though a fresh hatch chile is bright, succulent and reveals a bite of pepper. Cooked Hatch chiles are sweet, tangy and rich with flavors and aromas of pepper and smoke. A mild to medium heat chile, the Hatch chile pepper ranges at 1,000 to 2,500 units on the Scoville scale.

Serving Ideas

Hatch chiles are harvested green and fire roasted in cages or on grills and served alone or alongside dishes with Latin and Southwestern flavors. They can be used in place of any mild to medium heat chile, stuffed with cheese, vegetables and meats. They pair with cheeses both fresh and aged, cream, beef, lamb, goat, pork, shellfish, corn, potatoes, tomatoes and beans. Their flavors are bold enough to stand up to other bold and bright flavors and spices such as cumin, paprika, oregano and cilantro. Hatch chiles are a commonplace topping on burgers throughout the Southwest.

Ethnic/Cultural Info

The Hatch chile truly defines New Mexico as a culture. It is the New Mexico chile and has so richly supported the agrarian sector of New Mexico for over a century. Hatch chile festivals are a landmark and proud celebration of fall in communities throughout the state, especially in Hatch, which generates the largest crowds of Hatch chile growers, chefs, cooks and consumers. Hatch has been self-branded the chile Capital of the World.

Geography/History

The Hatch chile is native to New Mexico. It was created by combining three different pepper varieties to achieve the perfect chile pepper. In 1907 Fabian Garcia began breeding chiles that would ultimately lead to the creation of New Mexico chile No. 9 a hybrid of chile Negro, chile Colorado (a red mature New Mexico chile variety)and chile Pasilla. No. 9 is the original standardized variety of Hatch chiles. It was the perfect consumer friendly chile pepper, great for flavor, size, using as both green or red, fresh or canned. It opened a market that was previously unavailable and launched the chile processing and canning industry overnight. Today, roughly 50,000 acres of Hatch chiles, descendants of New Mexico chile No. 9 are cultivated annually throughout New Mexico, Arizona, Texas and California. Much like AOC designations in Europe, though, unless it is grown in Hatch Valley, New Mexico it is only considered a New Mexico green chile.

Seasons/Availability

New Mexican chilies are harvested in the summer.