Roasting Hatch Chiles is a fun process, but it is a labor of love! All chiles need to be roasted and peeled before they are ready to be cooked with.
To get started choose chile that is bright green, smooth, symmetrical, heavy for its size, mature and crisp. Wash peppers before roasting.
Roasting (or Blistering) is the application of heat to the surface resulting in blistering of the skin, which then separates from the chile flesh, making the skin easier to remove.
There are several ways to blister pepper skin for easy removal. Fire-roasting, steam injection, microwave heating or any other source of high heat, applied directly to the surface of the pepper will cause the skin to blister. Roasting slowly over a flame creates carmelization of sugars, which adds a distinct flavor to the final product.