New Mexico Green Chile Powder, Capsicum annuum, is a medium heat chile powder that delivers 3,000-5,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). It may also be called New Mexico chili powder, green chili powder, or Hatch-style chile powder.
 

What is New Mexico Green Chile Powder

New Mexico green chiles are grown in the fertile farming valleys of New Mexico. These long, green peppers are a distant cousin to Anaheim Peppers from California, but with much more flavor and a wider heat spectrum.

New Mexico chiles start off with a deep green color and mature to a deep, rich red color. Harvested before they fully mature these green chiles are de-stemmed and dried before being finely milled into a tasty, medium heat chile powder.

New Mexico Green Chile Powder’s flavor is vegetal and earthy, with a sharp, crisp, up-front heat and a hint of smokiness. The fully ripened New Mexico Red Chile has more of an earthy, sweet flavor with grassy undertones, with a touch of smoke, raisin, a hint of dried cherries and possesses more of a back-heat.
 

History of New Mexico Chiles

Native to Central Mexico, most of the New Mexico Chile varieties have been developed over the last 130 years in partnership with New Mexico State University.

According to the nonprofit organization Archaeology Southwest, chile peppers were one of the most vital foodstuffs among pre-contact (before European contact) Mesoamerican societies stretching from central Mexico down into Central and South America. Many food historians and anthropologists credit the introduction of chile peppers into this region of the American southwest to New Spain conquistador Don Juan de Oñate, who, in 1598, became the first colonial governor of Santa Fe de Nuevo México (modern day New Mexico).

It’s believed that many different varieties of chiles were cultivated during this time, most likely Chilacas (known as the Pasilla when dried), jalapeños, Poblanos (the dried version is Ancho) and, Serrano Peppers. But one variety that adapted exceptionally well to New Mexico’s climate and soil was a long green chile that turned red in the fall. New Mexican chiles were cultivated for hundreds of years in the northern part of region with such meticulous care that multiple distinct varieties emerged. These varieties became known as “landrace chiles”.

Landrace chiles are often named after the community where they're grown in (i.e. with Hatch, Chimayo and Espanola being some of the better known) but many family farms maintain their own unique named landrace chiles -- some of the best known of these include Hernandez, Escondida, Alcaldes and Velarde.

Cultivation of New Mexico Chiles

New Mexico chile peppers are grown from seeds and each of the individual pepper types is specifically bred and grown to be disease-resistant and provide consistent and healthy plants within their specific growing regions.

Altitude, climate and soil affects a crop's taste and heartiness, making the New Mexican region unique for plant propagation. The Caballo Mountain range to the west and the high deserts provide the ideal environment for growing chiles. To ensure that a variety's lineage remains disease-resistant and maintains optimal growth within its heritage region, seeds from specific plants are carefully selected. A quirky aspect of the New Mexico chile pepper regards reintroducing seeds from their heritage soil since each successive generation becomes susceptible to disease and it loses its flavor. Therefore, every few generations, chile pepper farmers reintroduce stored chile seeds to reinvigorate their crop.

New Mexico chiles are planted by seed in early April and green chiles are harvested from around mid-July to early September with red chiles being picked between mid-September and late October. As the green chiles ripen they become a deep, rich red color which changes the flavor of the chile, as it becomes a bit mellower and sweeter as it matures.
 

Where Are Hatch Green Chiles From

New Mexico, USA.
 

Flavor Profile

Vegetal and earthy, with a sharp, crisp, up-front heat.
 

Are New Mexico Green Chiles Hot

We consider these to be a medium heat chile, coming in at 3000-5000 SHU (Scoville Heat Units).
 

What Kind of Pepper Is a New Mexico Green Chile

For our New Mexico Green Chile Powder is usually made from a combination of New Mexico 6-4 Heritage and Big Jim peppers. This rich blend of pepper flavor comes from cultivars that were developed for their savory attributes. New Mexico 6-4 Heritage chiles were bred specifically to deliver a high flavor yield and a traditional New Mexico pepper flavor with a mild heat. The Big Jim cultivar, which also boasts some vegetal, earthy New Mexico flavor, was bred with a bit more heat.
 

How to Use New Mexico Green Chiles

Add authentic flavor to New Mexican and Tex-Mex dishes by using this New Mexico Green Chile Powder as a rub, in green chile aioli, smothered burrito sauce, braised chicken or pork, chicken soup, chile verde, cornbread, enchilada sauce, flatbreads, green chile stew, hamburgers, pasta, popcorn, homemade potato chips, tamale masa, homemade tortillas, and queso.

This chile powder is a knockout with fruit, so toss some in your apples for apple pie, or sprinkle on watermelon or mango for a zingy treat. Swap our New Mexico Green Chile Powder in place of black pepper for a boost of heat and an extra dose of rich chile flavor.
 

New Mexico Green Chile Substitutions

If you ask someone from New Mexico about what to use as a substitute to green chiles you’ll get an answer that there is no substitute. But if you’re in a pinch you can use Jalapeno Powder (3000 – 8000 SHU) which is a bit hotter but does have a similar earthy – grassy flavor.

 

Hungry for More Information

What's So Special About New Mexico Chiles
A Spicy Guide to New Mexican Cuisine
How Well Do You Know Your Chiles
The Best Peppers for Chili