We’ve all been there. Its 4:45, you’re trying to get supper together and in the oven, and you need a can of green chiles…but there are none in the pantry! So, stock up on roasted green chiles in the freezer when you can! I love using them fresh, but sometimes I spend a day putting them up for later when they are offered by the case.
Preserving your Green Chiles
Ingredients
- Whole Green Chiles, such as Hatch or Anaheim
- BBQ Grill (alternately, oven broiler)
- Tongs
- Large Bowl
- Clean Dish Towel
- Muffin Tin
- Plastic Wrap
- Knife and Cutting Board
Tools Needed
Instructions
- Start by pre-heating your BBQ grill, or oven broiler if using that. While waiting, wash and dry your chiles. I like to pluck the stem off as well.
- Place the chiles on a preheated grill.
- Let the chiles blister for a few minutes, then turn to blister the other side.
- When chiles are fully blistered, place in a large bowl and cover with a dish towel. Let them hang out in there until they are room temperature. This allows the skin to steam free of the flesh, and makes peeling them so much easier!
- Next, peel the chiles, and remove the seeds. I like to wear gloves from here on out. If you choose not to, wash your hands really well when you are done!
- Chop all the chiles
- Line your muffin tin with plastic wrap (this makes removing the chiles later way easier!), and fill each spot with chopped chiles.
- Put the muffin tin in the freezer for 4 hours. When the pucks are frozen, pop them out and place in a freezer bag. Each puck will be roughly 4oz, the size of a small can of green chiles in the store!
Copyright 2007 - 2020 Tanya Jolly & Sally Stevens
With a small amount of work, you can have great tasting green chiles at home, ready to add into dishes whenever you want! Just grab a puck out of the freezer and let thaw for a few minutes before adding to recipes.
Happy Cooking!
-Catlin
Vicky, if you don’t roast them, they taste pretty much like a bell pepper. You roast them to bring out the flavor. It completely changes the way they taste.
Roasting the green chilies first gives them the ‘green chili’ flavor. Otherwise, they taste totally different.
It really is essential, and it doesn’t take long.
Great tip! I use these a lot. I really need to do this!
Why do these have to be roasted?. Can you just take the seeds out and cut them up like I do for bell peppers and freeze them that way.