Yummylyle h · Verified
🌶️ 100% Big Jim Hatch chile🌡️ Medium heat · ~6,500 SHU (NMSU CR706)🫑 Large, thick-walled pods🔥 Best for roasting & rellenos✓ Bred at NMSU with Jim Lytle, 1975
Quick answer: The Big Jim is a large, thick-walled Hatch green chile pepper developed at New Mexico State University with farmer Jim Lytle in the 1970s. It runs Medium heat (~6,500 SHU) — hotter than an Anaheim or poblano, comparable to a medium jalapeño — with long, meaty pods ideal for roasting and chile rellenos.
The Big Jim Pepper at a Glance
Heat
Medium · ~6,500 SHUNMSU CR706. Hotter than Anaheim or poblano.
Pods
6–12″ longThick-walled and meaty — the big Hatch pod.
Best for
Roasting & rellenosAlso smothering, sauces, and freezing.
Origin
NMSU × Jim Lytle, 1975Bred for the Hatch Valley.
Every chile product in this collection is made with Big Jim, our Medium-heat Hatch variety. Read the full Big Jim guide →
Why 500,000+ Customers Keep Coming Back
Cheese grits with hatch chillieslyle h · Verified
I’ve been buying my chilies for years from here. From next day, air, fresh green chilies and roasted peel and chopped. It’s always amazing. We appreciate the family history of this green chili form.Nick W · Verified
These Barker pods were FIRST CLASS. They were very tasty and also very clean as packed. My wife grew up, as a child, in Arrey (near your packing facility - maiden name of Enriquez) and her family raised red chile during her childhood. She was wall-to-wall smiles when she made her usual stack of "stacked" enchiladas as she said that this taste brought back her childhood. We are sold on your product. Thank you.John C · Verified
Been buying this product for years now and we love it,always fresh and great flavor Don’t hesitate to get yoursVictor V · Verified
Fresh Hatch chili peppers are always the best! They arrive quickly and are so delicious! We process them for freezing so we can enjoy them all year! Looking forward to ordering more next year!Debra B · Verified
Nothing like it! So happy the twins arrived! Hatch Chilies are the best!Reed H · Verified
Sauce is delicious as expected. Five stars for sauce quality First box arrived with all jars smashed. Hatch Chile responded immediately and replaced the jars quickly. Second box was very well packaged.Josephine P · Verified
Most of the chilies were in good shape, acceptably fresh/pliable. I would purchase again.Jacalyn H · Verified
Astounding! I absolutely can't believe the night and day difference between this product and the lackluster flavor of what I have been buying in cans from my grocery. I wasn't prepared for the smoky intensity of these freshly roasted jarred chilies. Honestly, a spoonful tossed with some cheese and ranchero sauce in a tortilla could turn me vegetarian. And wait until you top a burger with it!Brian C · Verified
This is the best green chili sauce I have ever had!!!Shelley B · Verified
Love these! We always have them on hand in the freezer for all sorts of dishes!Lynn P · Verified
Great chopped peppers with mild heat-very tastyJack G · Verified
Had it with my taco's last night, great flavor. I can't wait to try it on other things. I live in Kansas now after growing up in New Mexico. It's hard to find good green chili here. Will keep ordering from you.Mel W · Verified
Fresh. Look good. Taste amazing.Thomas T · Verified
The best Hatch green chile we have found. We tried many brands and nothing comes close. Delicious at breakfast, lunch and dinner.Susan S · Verified
Chile arrived quickly and is delicious. We are from the Hatch valley and cannot live without it. So happy that we found a great source for it!Rebecca P · Verified
love hatch chile. love that it is roasted, chopped and frozen already. arrived quickly and still frozen.WILLIAMS S · Verified
Superior quality, prompt delivery,but most of all,experience of reliving my days in tijeras canyon,was exhilarating. I live in Virginia, and getting quality, authentic N.M Chili's takes me back,total 5 stars and thanks.!Noel H · Verified
Very good quality good taste fair price don’t know what else you needDon S · Verified
Anyone that loves green chili will absolutely love this stuff. It’s so good so authentic so reasonably priced highly recommend recommended.Don S · Verified
My order arrived on Tuesday and on Wednesday, i made Mexican Lasagna and Chicken Chorizo/Vegetable soup. I will take both dishes to my eye doctors office. One of the staff members is planning a trip to NM in May...including Hatch and White Sands. I used the pure green chili...medium.A nice bite and fair on the kick. Recipes from Southwest cookbooks.Prudence D · Verified
Impossible to get in NJ Will be ordering again to get my green chile readyThomas K · Verified
We love the fresh hatch peppers and once we eat all those we turn to the jar ones. Very delicious we highly recommend!. We ordered once to try these and keep ordering every year!Lisa S · Verified
These Hatch Rellenos are delicious! Just the right amount of breading covering the Chiles. Couldn't be more convenient for those times you don't know what to make. Will order again.John O · Verified
Put together a green chile pork stew that recieved rave reviews. Excellent flavor. Heat was a little below what what I personnaly prefer but was good for those who don't normally consume chile.Howard H · Verified
Excellent! Just pure chili without onion and / or garlicRaechel K · Verified
Excellent, tasty chunks of hatch and good spicealfonso t · Verified
I live an hour north of Pueblo, CO. I know my fellow Coloradians will disown me for this review, but damn this chili is legit. Not to mention this company makes sure you are happy. My chili showed up thawed out due to a UPS delay. They reached out to me and sent a replacement order immediately. Chili great. Customer service even better!Jeffrey A · Verified
The rellanos are so good!!Lynn A · Verified
Always enjoy whatever I order from Hatch. It is the best Chile I've ever tasted. Things are a little pricey, but worth every penny. I tell everyone about Hatch.Ronald S · Verified
We love to eat them for our evening meal with Street Taco Tortillos and cheese and bacon or other kinds of meat. Very good quality and excellent in taste when cooking a Mexican Food dish,Frank F · Verified
Have been using the green chilies for years, have never had any issues with product or shippingTerry l · Verified
We can't imagine how we ever went without a jar of these chiles in our pantry. We use them on eggs, hamburgers, in meatloaf, tacos, nachos....everything but on our breakfast cereal! Wonderful flavor.Elssa G · Verified
This is my third order and I absolutely love the 575. It reminds me of Colorado and time spent in New Mexico. This last order got lost in the mail, but when I notified them, they quickly reshipped my order. Thanks for a great product and great company service.William D · Verified
Great chile powder! Yes, I sampled right outa the bottle---straight up! I used it in a Texas-style chili, along with the Red Chile powder. The combo is delicious! I lived in Las Cruces, once upon a time, and absolutely love New Mexico cuisine. It is really nice to be able to get the actual ingredients for NM-style cooking. This is a combo review since I got the Red powder too. Both are awesome.DAVID V · Verified
I have always loved Hatch Green Chile's. I grow them in my backyard, however it is easier to purchase them already roasted, peeled and chopped.Thomas W · Verified
My old tamale supplier went out of business so I was looking around and found these. Familiar with Hatch products so I though it was worth a try. They are very good and now I have a new tamale supplier.Curtis W · Verified
The Big Jim is the variety most people picture when they think of Hatch green chile. Co-developed at New Mexico State University by Dr. Roy Nakayama and chile farmer Jim Lytle in the 1970s, Big Jim was bred specifically for the Hatch Valley — long meaty pods, thick walls, and Medium-tier heat (~6,500 SHU per NMSU's Chile Pepper Institute, CR706; varies plant-to-plant and our pods often run a touch milder than the cultivar mean) that lets the roasted chile flavor take center stage without scorching the table. A single pod can run six to eight inches, which is why it became the standard for chiles rellenos and stuffed preparations.
What makes a Hatch Big Jim different from a Big Jim grown somewhere else is the soil and elevation of the Hatch Valley in southern New Mexico. The alkaline Rio Grande bottomland, the altitude, and the swing between hot days and cool nights concentrate a depth of flavor you don't get from peppers grown in California, Mexico, or anywhere else — even if they carry the same variety name. Our Big Jim chile comes from fifth-generation farms in the Hatch Valley, harvested at peak season and processed at our packing shed in Garfield, NM.
In this collection you'll find fresh-frozen roasted Big Jim chile, Big Jim-based sauces and powders, and prepared foods — tamales, chimichangas, salsas — made with real Big Jim chile. If you're new to Hatch chile, Big Jim is the right starting point: classic flavor, approachable Medium-tier heat, and versatile enough to go into almost any New Mexican dish. See What Are Hatch Chiles? for more variety background.
Quick answer: The Big Jim is a large, thick-walled Hatch green chile pepper developed at New Mexico State University with farmer Jim Lytle in the 1970s. It runs Medium heat (~6,500 SHU) — hotter than an Anaheim or poblano, comparable to a medium jalapeño — with long, meaty pods ideal for roasting and chile rellenos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Big Jim pepper?
Big Jim is a New Mexico chile cultivar — a large, thick-walled Hatch green chile bred at New Mexico State University with farmer Jim Lytle in the 1970s. At about 6,500 SHU it sits in the Medium band: real Hatch flavor, manageable heat, and pods long enough to stuff for rellenos.
How hot is Big Jim chile?
Big Jim is a Medium-tier chile — approximately 6,500 SHU per NMSU's CR706 (Nakayama & Lytle, 1975). Heat varies plant-to-plant and we find our Big Jim often runs a touch milder than the cultivar mean. The roasted flavor stays the star, with a real but manageable warmth that suits everyday New Mexican cooking. If you're buying for kids or heat-sensitive guests, our Mild varieties (1904, Joe Parker, NuMex 6-4) are a gentler step. For a full comparison of our heat levels, see our Heat Level Guide.
Can I use Big Jim chile the same way I'd use an Anaheim or poblano?
Structurally yes — Big Jim, Anaheim, and poblano are all in the same long-pod category and can swap in most recipes. The flavor is different, though. Big Jim has a more complex, earthier roasted profile than Anaheim (which can taste thin by comparison) and a lighter heat than poblano. Anywhere a recipe calls for green chile, Big Jim works.
Why are Big Jim pods so large compared to other chiles?
Big Jim was specifically bred for large pod size — that was part of the original NMSU development goal. The thick walls make it ideal for stuffing (chiles rellenos, whole chile strips) and mean more actual chile per pod when you're chopping or processing for stew or sauce.
Are your Big Jim products gluten-free?
Our plain roasted and frozen Big Jim chile is naturally gluten-free. Prepared products like tamales and chimichangas contain wheat — check the individual product labels for allergen details. If you have celiac disease or a strict gluten intolerance, stick to the straight chile products and sauces.
How should I store frozen Big Jim chile after it arrives?
Transfer straight to your freezer on arrival — our frozen chile ships with dry ice or gel packs to arrive cold, but the sooner it goes in the freezer the better. Properly frozen, it holds well for 12 months. Once thawed, use within 3 days and do not refreeze.
What's the best way to cook with frozen roasted Big Jim chile?
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or run under cool water still in the bag. From there, chop it into green chile stew, layer it into enchiladas, stir it into scrambled eggs, or pile it on a burger. The roasting is already done — you're just reheating and seasoning. For more ideas, visit our Recipes page.
The Complete Guide to the Big Jim Hatch Chile
Big Jim is the chile that put Hatch on the map. Developed in 1975 at New Mexico State University by Dr. Roy Nakayama and Hatch Valley grower Jim Lytle—a son-in-law of Joseph Franzoy, the valley's first commercial chile farmer—Big Jim once held the Guinness World Record for the largest chile pepper on Earth, with pods stretching past thirteen inches. Its thick, meaty walls and approachable Medium-tier heat (approximately 6,500 SHU per NMSU's CR706; our pods often run a touch milder than the cultivar mean) made it the definitive relleno chile and a staple in kitchens across New Mexico. Every Big Jim product below is Certified Hatch—grown in the same Hatch Valley soil where Lytle and Nakayama first tested the variety nearly fifty years ago—and flame-roasted, shipped fresh, or jarred into sauces within days of harvest.