Red New Mexico Hatch Chiles are long, thin-fleshed chiles grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico. They have a slightly fruity yet faintly smoky flavor, with a subtle sweetness and mild heat level.

While New Mexico chiles can be cultivated throughout the southwestern United States, to be called Hatch chiles they must be grown in the Hatch Valley of New Mexico. In the Hatch Valley, fields of these chiles stretch north and south along the Rio Grande River, thriving in the hot days and cool nights the region provides.

Hatch chiles start off as a deep green color and begin to turn red as they mature. Once fully ripened, red New Mexico Hatch chiles generally have a bit more heat than younger green New Mexico Hatch chiles.

Also known as California chiles, Magdalena chiles, chile colorado or chile seco del norte, New Mexico chiles were first cultivated in the United States around 1915. As their name implies, they were first grown in the state of New Mexico, but they are now cultivated throughout the American Southwest. Interestingly, varieties grown in the state of New Mexico tend to be slightly hotter than those grown elsewhere in the United States.

Chiles, which are part of the Capsicum family of plants, have been part of the human diet in the Americas since at least 7500 BC. While they are now staples in many cuisines, chiles were not introduced to Europe and Asia until the late 1400s, when they were brought back to Spain by explorers. There, they were quickly traded for their bold flavors and as a cheaper alternative to pricey peppercorns. Now, regional influence and cultivation has created wide variety of chile varieties that are unique to specific cultures.

Suggested uses

Basic prep

Storage & handling

Store in cool, dry place.

Ingredients

Dried new mexico chiles.