How to Get Your New Mexico Chile Fix At Home
Green chiles for sale at the Santa Fe Farmer’s Market
Autumn in New Mexico is a sensory fiesta. The high-mountain aspen stands fade to a fiery yellow, rainbow-hued hot-air balloons dot the sky, and a welcome crisp fills the early-morning air. But perhaps fall’s most beloved sensory gift is the smoky smell of roasting green chiles. At farmer’s markets, farm stands and mini-mall parking lots statewide, sellers fire up their mobile roasters and cook their crops until the skins begin to blacken and fall off. Just try to resist that scent of spice and smolder. We dare you.
So what should a Land of Enchantment visitor do upon returning home, the aroma of chile still lingering in the nose but nary a roaster in sight? Don’t fret, friend. We’ve got you covered with a comprehensive list of the best ways to get your chile fix from the comfort of your computer screen. And check out the sidebar for our recs for obtaining other quintessential New Mexico food at home.
GREEN CHILES – A HATCH-FILLED HOME KITCHEN
TOP SPOTS FOR YOUR OTHER N.M. FAVS
TAMALES
BIsCOCHITOS
posole
Southern New Mexico’s Hatch Valley has found international fame as the Napa of green-chile regions. And for good reason. The sandy loam soil and big temperature swings make for optimal growing conditions. So when shopping for green chiles online, make sure they’re grown in Hatch. And to keep things traditional, skip the jarred sauces and look for the fire-roasted, frozen chile that’s perfect for upping the heat in your favorite recipe.
Run by a family of fifth-generation chile growers in the Hatch Valley, Hatch Chile Store is a (nearly) one-stop mail-order shop for quintessential New Mexican food. Their green chile is available in a variety of spice levels, and you can order it fresh from the field or pre-roasted and frozen. A 5 lb. bag of frozen runs for $65. They also sell chile rellenos, tamales, chile ristras (read: those fire-red wreaths you’ve seen on New Mexicans’ front doors), posole and tortillas. Is your mouth watering yet?
Purchase your chile from Young Guns, and you’re buying the chile of choice of some of Santa Fe’s top chefs. The owners of Young Guns have cultivated some of the most popular chile varieties in the valley, including the medium-spiced Big Jim variety. After you order, make some room in your freezer. The smallest available bag of fire-roasted frozen chile is 8 lbs., and sells for $105. But trust us. It’s worth every penny.
RED CHILES – HEAVENLY HEAT IN CHIMAYO
Unlike its less ripe counterpart, New Mexico red chile traditionally is ground into a powder. Chefs then use it to flavor a sweet and spicy sauce. Heirloom red chile powder from tiny Chimayo, a village nestled in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains north of Santa Fe, is prized for its rich, earthy sweetness. Here’s where to snag some for your home kitchen:
When in doubt, go straight to the source. Chimayo’s own El Potrero, often known as the Vigil Store, has sold red chile, beans, posole, artwork and assorted knickknacks since 1921. Located next to the famous Santuario de Chimayo, this outpost is not to be missed. Chile ristras adorn the worn façade, and hand-carved St. Francis statues greet you at the door. Inside, it looks as if time stopped decades ago. If you can’t make it there for the ambiance, at least you can still snag some chile – as long as you’re willing to pick up your phone. El Potrero has no online ordering system, but they’ll be happy to ship to you if you place your order the old-fashioned way. Our advice? Go traditional. Order a bag of sun-dried and ground Heirloom Chimayo red. Prices are by weight and range from $5.50 to $22. A word of caution: This stuff is spicy!
Just up the road from El Potrero and the Santuario is Casa Chimayo, a classic, beloved northern New Mexico eatery. Their online store, Casa Chimayo Mercado, sells a handful of northern New Mexico treasures, key among them ground heirloom red chile, made from the fruit of chile seeds handed down from one generation to the next. A 14 oz. resealable bag sells for $18.99, and you’re free to choose your preferred spice level.
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