In this episode, Chris takes us straight from the field to the factory floor for a behind the scenes look at how The Fresh Chile Company brings Big Jim Hatch Green Chile from the 575 to your table. This is a small batch operation, not a giant corporation, and that is exactly the point. Chris walks through the harvest with farmer Scott Adams of Adams Produce, then heads to the factory to show the full rinse, roast, peel, and chop process that turns fresh picked pods into the chile you get in your kitchen.
Straight from the 575
Chris starts out in the field, where the crew just hand harvested Big Jim Hatch Green Chile from the 575. Farmer Scott Adams works hand in hand with the Fresh Chile team on every batch, right down to Sunday night calls about weather and harvest timing. It is a relationship built on trust, not a transaction, and it shows in the quality of the chile that ends up in the jar.
Rinse, Roast, Peel, Chop
Once the chile arrives at the factory, the process starts with a rinse to get the pods clean and ready. From there it goes straight into flame roasting, which is where that unmistakable New Mexico smell comes from. New Mexico is the only state with an official state smell, and once you catch a whiff of chile roasting, you understand why. After roasting, the chile is peeled and chopped into the thick pieces that go on to cooking, then shipping, straight to your door.
"We're not this big corporation. We really care about quality, and we really care that you're getting the freshest Hatch chile in America. So we do it in small batches, just for you."
— Chris, The Fresh Chile Company
The First Bite
Chris does not wait long to taste the results, grabbing a piece straight from the roaster and folding it into a bean and cheese burrito. Fresh roasted chile loses a bit of size once it is peeled, but none of the flavor. That first bite is the whole reason for the small batch approach: rinse, roast, chop, cook, ship, and get it to you as fresh as it gets.
About The Fresh Chile Cookin' Cookbook
The Fresh Chile Cookin' Cookbook features recipes shared by our amazing community of Hatch Chile fans. Join the Fresh Chile Cookin' Facebook group to submit your own recipe and be featured in the next edition.